Democrats, Republicans Head to Polls for 'Super Tuesday 3'

Who can predict what will happen after Bernie Sanders' stunning victory over Hillary Clinton in Michigan last week?

This Tuesday both Democrats and Republicans cast their votes in five primaries, with the latter also voting in a caucus.

Polls point to victories for both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but if we learnt anything from last week’s shock victory for Bernie Sanders in Michigan, it’s that we should expect the unexpected.

Indeed, the Vermont senator proved the naysayers wrong after he overcame all expectations by clinching Michigan, despite some polls predicting Clinton would win the state by a unanimous 20-point lead.

The night ended with Sanders securing Michigan with 50 percent of the vote compared to Hillary´s 48 percent, providing the Vermont senator’s campaign with a huge boost.

And with Sanders having closed the gap on Clinton in Ohio and Illinois to single-digits, according to some predictions, “Super Tuesday 3” could be the day the Democratic race is blown wide open.

Meanwhile, Republican predictions have proven more reliable and Donald Trump is expected to win a majority of states up for grabs Tuesday. Second place Ted Cruz will hope to cause an upset however, after he won Idaho with 11% of the vote last week.

Crucial 'Super Tuesday 3' Kicks Off in US

    Florida Primary: Democrats (246 Delegates), Republicans (99 Delegates)
    Given the large number of delegates, Florida is seen as a highly important state to all candidates. Clinton, Trump and Rubio all hosted press conferences from Florida Monday. Florida is a winner-takes-all state for Republicans but proportionally distributes delegates to Democrats.

    Polling hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST.

    Illinois Primary: Democrats (182 Delegates), Republicans (69 Delegates)

    For Republicans, Illinois is not a winner-takes-all state. While 15 out of 69 delegates go to the winner of the statewide election the other 54 are placed on the ballot and awarded by the number of votes they receive in each congressional district. For Democrats, the proportional method is used.

    Polling hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST.

    Ohio Primary: Democrats (159 Delegates), Republicans (66 Delegates)

    Ohio resembles Michigan both geographically and demographically, which probably indicates why Clinton's lead has declined from the 20-to-30-point range to single digits this past week. For Republican candidate John Kasich, a win in his home state is essential if he wants to stay in the race. It’s a winner-take-all contest for Republicans, while Democrats once again rely on the proportional system.

    Polls open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. EST.

    North Carolina Primary: Democrats (121 Delegates), Republicans (72 Delegates)

    Both Clinton and Trump lead by large margins in North Carolina. The state has been criticized for not allowing online voting as this could negatively affect voter turnout. Republican as well as Democratic delegates are awarded based on a proportional delegate allocation system in North Carolina.

    Polls open 6:30 a.m.to 7:30 p.m. EST.

    Missouri Primary: Democrats (84 Delegates), Republicans (52 Delegates)

    Missouri gives 52 delegates to the person that manages to receive more than 50 percent of the overall vote. If no majority is reached it will turn into a "winner-takes-most situation," in which case 12 delegates are awarded to the Republicans with the most votes and the remaining 40 are split up by congressional district.

    For Democrats the proportional system holds again, making sure that both Sanders and Clinton walk away with at least some delegates.

    Polling hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST

    North Mariana Islands Caucus: Republicans (9 Delegates)
    Only Republicans go to the polls here today after Democrats voted last Saturday, with Clinton winning 54 percent of the vote to Sanders' 34 percent. Trump seems to be leading on the islands and delegates will be allocated by the winner-takes-all principle