(Corrects Florida poll closing time and removes reference to Wednesday in Ohio poll closing for GMT)
By Helen Coster
(Reuters) – Five states will hold their presidential nominating contests on Tuesday, a week after both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump netted enough delegates to clinch their parties’ nomination.
Though the two candidates are now looking ahead to their general election rematch in November, Biden is contending with a protest movement from Democratic voters who oppose his backing of Israel’s attacks against Hamas in Gaza.
The movement, which has had varying degrees of success in states that have already held primaries, is asking voters to mark “uncommitted” on their ballots to register their opposition to Biden’s position.
Here is a look at what is happening on the ground in Tuesday’s Democratic and Republican primaries.
ARIZONA
Republican delegate count: 43
Democratic delegate count: 72
The polls close at 10 p.m. EDT (0200 GMT Wednesday).
In Arizona, organizers who support the “uncommitted” movement are urging voters to choose Democrat Marianne Williamson over Biden. Williamson suspended her campaign after Nevada’s primary but recently reactivated it. In 2020, Biden beat Trump by just 10,000 voters in Arizona. A March poll from Beacon Research shows Trump leading Biden by 4 percentage points in this year’s rematch. Arizona’s large Hispanic population – representing a third of the state – could help Trump, as a growing number of Hispanic voters are switching their allegiance to him.
FLORIDA
Republican delegate count: 125
Democratic delegate count: 224
The polls close at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Wednesday).
There will be no Democratic primary in Florida, where the state party effectively canceled it after voting to list Biden as the only candidate on the ballot. On the Republican side, Trump also faces no challengers; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ended his presidential campaign in January and subsequently endorsed Trump. The former president beat Biden by 3.3 percentage points in Florida in 2020 and has an even wider lead in polls for the 2024 general election. Trump faces criminal charges in Florida accusing him of illegally holding on to classified documents after leaving the White House. He has denied wrongdoing.
ILLINOIS
Republican delegate count: 64
Democratic delegate count: 147
The polls close at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Wednesday).
Organizers of the “uncommitted” movement are asking Democratic voters in Illinois to either leave their ballots blank or write “Gaza” on their ballots. Biden beat Trump by roughly 17 percentage points in Illinois in 2020 and is expected to win the Democratic stronghold again this year.
KANSAS
Republican delegate count: 39
Democratic delegate count: 33
The polls close at 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT Wednesday).
Kansas is holding its first presidential primary in 30 years; it typically holds caucuses, which are less costly for the state but result in lower participation. In November’s general election, Trump is expected to easily win the state, where he beat Biden by more than 14 percentage points in 2020.
OHIO
Republican delegate count: 79
Democratic delegate count: 127
The polls close at 7:30 p.m. EDT (2330 GMT).
Ohio does not have an “uncommitted” option, and blank ballots and write-ins will not be counted. Trump beat Biden by 8 percentage points in Ohio in 2020. The Republican candidate led Biden by 17 percentage points in a March poll from SurveyUSA.
(This story has been corrected to fix Florida’s poll closing time and remove reference to Wednesday in Ohio poll closing for GMT)
