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Arizona and about 20 other Super Duper Tuesday states will clarify who the Republicans and Democrats will nominate at their conventions in September and August, respectively.

Tuesday's Presidential Preference Election, in essence, determines the delegates who will support the candidates on the floors of the conventions. The field of candidates is winnowing down after the early caucuses and primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, South Carolina and Michigan and Florida. Tuesday will be pivotal in the decision of who will be on the 2008 ballot.

We sought answers to some of the frequently asked questions about Tuesday's election:

No. Last August, Gov. Janet Napolitano moved the election date from the end of the month.

We're glad she did. We expect to wake up Wednesday morning with a clear front-runner in each party. It would be an afterthought to have Arizona's election later in the month. Being part of Super Tuesday gives our state the loudest voice possible.

Those registered independent or "no party designated" must sit this one out. Arizona is not having a primary election. Arizona has a Presidential Preference Election. The voter-approved Arizona open primary law, which allows indies and those who did not designate a party to select a party in the primary, did not include the Presidential Preference Election.

An Arizona primary is a "winner-take-all" election. There is only one winner in the primary. In contrast, a preference election does not have a single winner.

Arizona will send 67 delegates and nine alternates to the Democratic National Convention. Thirty-seven pledged delegates will be divvied up among eight districts, based on current congressional districts. A candidate must receive a minimum 15 percent of the vote in a district to receive a delegate. Twelve, pledged at-large delegates and seven party-leader and elected-official delegates will be elected at the Arizona Democratic Pary's State Convention in April. The other unpledged delegates are national committee members, the Congressional delegation and other party bigwigs.

All of the 53 Arizona delegates to the Republican National Convention will be pledged to the presidential candidate with the most votes Tuesday.

There are 24 names — not in alphabetical order — on each ballot. The was determined by drawing by lots. Go to the Secretary of State's Web site, www.azsos.gov, for the order.

Candidates who have dropped out of the race, such as Dennis J. Kucinich and Fred Thompson, are still on the ballot. Another group was encouraged by an alternative newspaper, the Tucson Weekly, to take advantage of the ease of getting on the presidential primary ballot: Fill out a nomination form and file it with the Secretary of State's office. No fees. No gathering signatures.

Here are some of the responses we received from an online survey asking who readers were voting for and why

Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.

U.S. senator

Survey says: "She has the experience and fortitude to deal with the difficult issues."

Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.

Former Arkansas governor

Survey says: "Huckabee because he's right on immigration, the Second Amendment, abortion and taxes.''

John McCain, R-Ariz.

U.S. senator

Survey says: "McCain is the most honest politician running for office. He will try to do what's best for the country."

Barack Obama, D-Ill.

U.S. senator

Survey says:"It's time for new ideas and new people."

Ron Paul, R-Texas

U.S. representative.

Survey says: "He promises the most substantial changes. Ron Paul is against illegal immigration.…He is against empire building and globalization."

Mitt Romney, R-Mass.

Former Massachusetts governor

Several readers answered that they were voting for Romney, but none told us why.

Polls open: 6 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday

Bring ID: Every voter must show show proof of identity before receiving a ballot. That ID must include the voter's photograph, name and address. An Arizona driver or identification license, tribal enrollment card or other federal, state, or local government issued identification are among the acceptable forms.

Questions? Call the Pima County Recorder's office at 740-4330 or go online to www.recorder.pima.gov/

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