Arizonans Log On, Vote In Democratic Primary

Although busy computer connections and other problems frustratedsome voters in Arizona's Democratic primary today, a record turnoutwas still certain as the party completed the first binding electionfor public office using the Internet and gave the victory to VicePresident Gore.

The state's voters had a choice of using traditional paper ballotsor computer terminals at most of the 124 polling sites. Mail-inballots were also available. More than 35,000 people--three times asmany as participated in 1996--had cast ballots in early Internetvoting completed Friday. An additional 20,000 mail-in ballots alsowere cast.

With most of the votes counted, Gore had an overwhelming lead overformer New Jersey senator Bill Bradley, who dropped out Thursday.Indiana businesswoman Heather Anne Harder was a distant third in thecontest for 31 delegates to the Democratic National Convention.

Including the Arizona primary, a total of 234 Democratic delegatesare being selected this weekend. There were caucuses in Michigantoday, and it will be Nevada's turn on Sunday. Minnesota Democratsare caucusing both days to allocate delegates.

Computerized voting was not free of glitches. Millie Cunningham ofPhoenix tried repeatedly to log on from home, but she said all sheever got was a busy message or a blank screen. So she cast a paperballot. But Bill Burns, 63, a Phoenix engineer, said he found noproblems.

In Tennessee, Gore's eldest daughter, Karenna Gore Schiff, rolledacross the western part of the state on a bus tour to get out theDemocratic vote for her father Tuesday.

Stopping at a union hall in Memphis, Schiff said of her father:"He's a visionary, he's a principled fighter and he's a policypioneer. If you need a fourth, he's a really great dad."

In Michigan, Gore clobbered Bradley in the Democratic caucuses.With all the votes counted, Gore had 15,854 votes to 3,117 forBradley. That translated to at least 107 delegates for Gore and 7 forBradley, with the allocation in three congressional districtsunavailable tonight as voters chose 129 of Michigan's 157 delegates.

With 93 of 111 precincts reporting after the first of two days ofMinnesota caucuses, Gore had 74 percent of the votes to 12 percentfor Bradley in contests for 74 of the state's 91 delegates. However,a candidate has to get at least 15 percent of the votes cast in acongressional district to win any delegates, and Bradley did notreach that threshold anywhere today. If that pattern were to holdtrue Sunday, Gore would get all 74 delegates.