A Viewer's Guide: What to Watch For in Super Tuesday Election Returns

WASHINGTON — The Super Tuesday contest involves voters in 24 states from coast to coast, an election that will keep political junkies glued to their TV sets and computers for at least four hours, and probably longer.

Of the 24 states voting, some are likely to provide insight into how the contest will probably end once all the votes are counted and the Republicans award some 900 delegates and the Democrats divide up some 2,000 delegates.

The most important questions in the voting are whether former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finally falls victim to the momentum Arizona Sen. John McCain has gained in the Republican contest and whether the Democratic voting ends with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama still in close contention for delegates.

Nine states are holding caucuses or conventions and the timing for their voting to end is uncertain. Here, however, is an hour-by-hour look at some of the most important state poll closings and what they might portend as Super Tuesday unfolds:

7:00 P.M. - Polls close in Georgia

Georgia will provide the first important clues to which candidates in both parties are going to have a big night. McCain expects this to be the first of many victories on Tuesday. But if former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Romney run strong, it could be a longer night than expected for the Arizona senator, especially in the southern contests. In the Democratic contest, Obama has the momentum, and this could be any early indication of just how well he'll do in southern states, and in states with large numbers of black voters. A significant Obama victory here could signal a difficult evening for Clinton.

8:00 P.M. - Polls close in Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Tennessee

The biggest collective chunk of delegates will be awarded from the 10 states that wrap up their voting this hour: 388 Republican delegates, 646 Democratic delegates. It will be especially important in the Republican contest, where several of the states have winner-take-all provisions for awarding delegates or, in the case of California, winner-take-all in each congressional district. If McCain wins the states where he is leading in the polls, he could roll up a big delegate lead in the first hour of prime time TV viewing.

On the Democratic side, the important states to watch will be Connecticut, Massachusetts and Missouri. Recent polls have Obama and Clinton tied 40-40 percent in Connecticut, so whoever takes the lead there could have momentum elsewhere.

Massachusetts will show the power of the Kennedy name. Clinton once led there, but Kennedy family endorsements have propelled Obama into the lead.

Missouri, a swing state in general elections, is a bellwether for both parties' presidential primaries. If Huckabee is going to overtake McCain in the GOP contest anywhere besides his home state of Arkansas, it could be here. And if Obama runs close to Clinton, it could show momentum: he trailed by 12 percentage points in the latest polls.

Illinois should provide a big home state win for Obama.

And on the Republican side, look to see how much McCain cuts into Romney's support in his home state of Massachusetts.

8:30 P.M. - Polls close in Arkansas

Mostly, a curiosity during the hour. Huckabee, the state's former governor, expects to carry the GOP primary. Clinton, the state's former first lady, expects to win big in the Democratic primary.

9:00 P.M. - Polls close in New York and Arizona and the caucus ends in New Mexico

Clinton expects a big win in her home state of New York and a huge chunk of its 232 delegates.

Arizona and New Mexico should be among the more interesting states to watch on the Democratic side, since they are widely viewed as a major test of Clinton's and Obama's appeal to Hispanic voters, one of the targeted ethnic groups in the general election.

In New Mexico, Clinton has courted former rival Bill Richardson, the state's governor, who declined to make an endorsement. In Arizona, Clinton has led in recent polls, but Obama is supported by Gov. Janet Napolitano and Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, who is popular with Hispanics, campaigned here.

On the Republican side, look for a big home state win in Arizona for McCain.

10:00 P.M. - Polls close in Utah

Romney is the GOP favorite in this heavily Mormon state. Clinton is the Democratic favorite, but if Obama pulls ahead it could reflect the popularity of his post-partisanship message.

11:00 P.M. - Polls close in California

Every political junkie will be up late for the returns from California, the big enchilada in both parties. It is mostly winner-take-all in each congressional district for the state's 170 GOP delegates; its 370 Democratic delegates are divided proportionally, based on the primary vote.

This will be another test of the Hispanic vote.

With a McCain victory here, Romney would be under pressure to withdraw, effectively ending the Republican contest. Romney is going all out to win here, however, and was leading, 37-34 percent, in the latest tracking polls by John Zogby.

Clinton is hoping that a victory in the Democratic contest, even with the delegates awarded proportionally, will convince Democrats that she is the strongest candidate for the party's nomination. An Obama victory in California would overshadow all the other Clinton victories of the night.