The Latest Missouri: Clinton, Trump in close contests in Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The latest on the presidential preference primary In Missouri. (all times local):

11:40 p.m.

A few thousand votes are all that separate national front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump from their challengers in Missouri's presidential primaries.

Former Secretary of State Clinton had a lead of about a thousand votes over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary, with 99 percent of precincts reporting results.

Trump had a lead of just a couple thousand votes over Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, with 98 percent of precincts reporting results.

The Associated Press was not declaring a winner in either race Tuesday.

Under Missouri law, candidates can request a recount if they lose by less than one-half of a percentage point. Both races could fall within that margin.

In the Republican race, Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio trailed well behind in Missouri. Rubio ended his campaign Tuesday after losing his home state to Trump.

Link:

Access enr.sos.mo.gov to see presidential preference primary results in Missouri.

10:40 p.m.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders held a slight lead over Hillary Clinton in Missouri's Democratic primary while Republicans Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz were in a dead heat.

Sanders narrowly led former Secretary of State Clinton on Tuesday with about 90 percent of the precincts reporting results. Many of the outstanding votes were in the St. Louis area, where Clinton was leading.

In the Republican race, Trump and Cruz were separated by just a few thousand votes out of more than 860,000 that already had been reported.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who ended his campaign after a disappointing showing in his home state, trailed well behind in Missouri's Republican primary.

Trump won Tuesday in Florida but lost to Kasich in Ohio's primary. Trump also won in North Carolina and Illinois.

Clinton won Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.

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10:10 p.m.

National front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are in tough battles in Missouri's presidential primaries.

With three-quarters of the precincts reporting results, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders had a slight lead over former Secretary of State Clinton in the Democratic primary. But many votes remained to be counted in the St. Louis area, where Clinton was leading.

In the Republican primary, Trump was in a dead heat with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio trailed well behind in Missouri's Republican primary.

Missouri victories by Clinton and Trump could bolster their national advantages in the delegate race. Clinton also won Florida, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday.

Trump won Florida but lost to Kasich in Ohio's primary. Trump also won in North Carolina and Illinois.

9:45 p.m.

National front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are facing tough challenges in Missouri's Democratic and Republican presidential primaries.

With more than half of the precincts reporting results, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders was in a close race against former Secretary of State Clinton in the Democratic primary. Trump, meanwhile, was locked in a tight race against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio trailed well behind in Missouri's Republican primary.

Missouri victories by Clinton and Trump could bolster their national advantages in the delegate race. Clinton also won Florida, North Carolina and Ohio on Tuesday.

Trump won delegate-rich Florida but lost to Kasich in Ohio's winner-take-all primary. Trump also won in North Carolina and Illinois.

8:35 p.m.

National front-runners Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are facing stiff challenges in Missouri's Democratic and Republican presidential primaries.

Early election results show former Secretary of State Clinton in a close race with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. Trump similarly was in a tight contest with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in the Republican race.

Victories by Clinton and Trump could bolster their national advantages in the delegate race for the parties' nominations.

But victories by Sanders and Cruz in Missouri could help sustain their campaigns for a prolonged national battle.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich trailed well behind Trump and Cruz in Missouri's voting.

6:15 p.m.

Strong voter turnout has contributed to a shortage of Republican presidential primary ballots in a rural central Missouri county.

Osage County Clerk Patrick Steele says his county ran out of Republican ballots Tuesday afternoon. He says 800 additional Republican ballots were shipped in from Springfield.

But Steele says he's concerned those ballots also could run out before voting ends. It's unclear what would happen if that occurs.

Steele says he expects to have plenty of leftover Democratic ballots.

Elsewhere, television station KMBC reports that long lines at one Kansas City area polling place are leading to waits of an hour or more for voters. Anyone in line when polls close at 7 p.m. will still be allowed to cast a ballot.

5 p.m.

Missouri election officials say there have been relatively few reports of glitches as voters cast their ballots in the state's presidential primaries.

The secretary of state's office, which oversees elections, says it has heard of no major problems.

Greene County Clerk Shane Schoeller (SHOH'-ler) says an electronic ballot-counting machine broke down at one of its 76 polling locations but was replaced and did not inconvenience voters. He says there also were issues with a few of the electronic devices used to check-in voters.

Election officials in several counties have said that voter turnout appears to be running at or ahead of 2008 levels, which marked the last time with competitive presidential races for both Democrats and Republicans.

3:15 p.m.

Election officials in some Missouri cities and counties say voter turnout appears to be strong compared with previous presidential primaries.

St. Louis County election director Eric Fey says voting seems to be very steady in Missouri's most populous area.

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz campaigned in Missouri in the days leading up to the Tuesday primary. So did leading Democratic candidates, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Missouri victories by Trump and Clinton could help solidify their status as front-runners. But wins by Cruz or Sanders could build momentum for their campaigns.

Polls remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

2 p.m.

Some voters in Missouri's presidential primaries say they are looking for change, but have different opinions on who can best provide that.

Voters on Tuesday are determining how to divide up 71 Democratic delegates and 52 Republican delegates to their parties' national conventions.

Some Republican voters interviewed at polling sites said they were supporting billionaire businessman Donald Trump because he isn't a typical politician. Others siding with Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio or Ohio Gov. John Kasich also said they want change, but don't like Trump's blunt approach.

Democratic voters for Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders also cited his potential to bring change.

By contrast, some Democrats supporting former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton cited her experience in government.

Polls are to remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

10:45

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump appears to be on the minds of many Missouri voters, whether they like him or not.

Voters were casting ballots Tuesday in Missouri's primaries to determine who will win 71 Democratic and 52 Republican delegates to the parties' national conventions.

At polling places, some Democrats said they were voting for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders because they were viewed more favorably than Trump.

Some Republican supporters for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich also cited concerns about Trump's demeanor when explaining their votes.

But some voters said they were drawn to strong leadership qualities they saw in Trump.

Polls are to remain open until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

9:15 a.m.

Presidential primary voting is brisk in the Kansas City suburb of Belton, where a poll worker says as many people had voted by 9 a.m. as often vote in an entire election day.

Precinct worker Janna Dillon, who's staffed the pools for a decade, says about 90 people had voted Tuesday morning.

Dillon says often they don't see that many people vote in a day. Turnout has been steady.

Among those voting early was 53-year-old Bart Hawkins, a railroad worker and retired Army veteran who supports Donald Trump, in part because of his business experience. Hawkins says Trump, like many voters, is "tired of what's going on with this country."

1:30 a.m.

Missouri voters will make their presidential choices Tuesday in what could be a pivotal primary election day for some candidates looking to either solidify their front-runner status or build new momentum.

Polls were to be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the state. Elections also were being held in Florida, Illinois, North Carolina and Ohio, all of which carry more delegates than Missouri.

At stake in Missouri are 71 delegates to the Democratic National Convention to be awarded proportionally based on the votes candidates receive both statewide and in each of the state's eight congressional districts.

Republicans were allotting 52 Missouri delegates based on the primary results. If no candidate carries a majority of the votes, the GOP delegates are to be given partly to the top statewide vote-getter and partly to the winners in each congressional district.

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz both campaigned in Missouri during the final days before the Republican primary. So did the leading Democratic candidates, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. All four have been broadcasting TV ads in Missouri.

Missouri victories by Trump and Clinton could help solidify their status as front-runners. But wins by Cruz or Sanders could build new momentum for their campaigns, ensuring the race will carry on longer before any candidate obtains enough delegates to lock up the nomination.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Ohio Gov. John Kasich did not target Missouri as the election neared, instead focusing on must-win primaries in their home states.

Missouri received little personal attention from any of the candidates until the final few days before the election. But the top contenders held a combined 10 rallies around the state from Friday through Monday. Political passions ran high at some of those events. Trump's rallies Friday in St. Louis and Saturday in Kansas City were repeatedly interrupted by protesters. Police made arrests in both cities and used pepper spray to disperse two groups that police said appeared ready to fight outside a theater hosting Trump's Kansas City event.