[citation needed][dubious – discuss] With the broadened use of the modern presidential primary system, following the chaotic 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, states have tried to increase their influence in the nomination process.

[citation needed] One tactic has been to create geographic blocs to encourage candidates to spend time in a region.

[3] Decided on "Super Tuesday III" were delegates from five states: South Dakota, New Mexico, West Virginia, California and New Jersey.

Gary Hart maintained that unpledged superdelegates that had previously announced support for Mondale would shift to his side if he swept the Super Tuesday III primary.

It would allow for a conservative favorite son candidate from the south to receive a lead in delegate totals and produce momentum for the other primaries.

[7] Alabama, Florida, and Georgia designated the second Tuesday of March as the date for their presidential primaries and the Southern Legislative Conference lobbied other states to join.

[8] Southern politicians formed the Democratic Leadership Council and hoped to have Governor Chuck Robb or Senator Sam Nunn seek the presidential nomination, but both declined.

Michael Dukakis, Dick Gephardt, Al Gore and Jesse Jackson campaigned in the Super Tuesday states.

Gephardt and Gore were both southerners, Jackson sought the high percentage of black voters in the region, and Dukakis focused on Texas and Florida where he could receive the support of Hispanic and northerners.

After Super Tuesday Bush held 73.5% of the 959 delegates selected so far with Dole holding 17%, Kemp 4.1%, and the remaining candidates 5.4%.

Bush's victory in all but one state on Super Tuesday nearly secured him enough delegates to win the Republican presidential nomination.

His campaign spent $447,644 in total for Super Tuesday, but Jackson noted how adequate advertising time in a single station in Dallas for a week would cost around $300,000.

Bob Dole swept Super Tuesday en route to his bid for the 1996 Republican presidential nomination.

[22][23] In 2004, several states moved their presidential contests up to February 3, 2004, in order to increase the relative importance of their election results.

Frontrunner Romney was able to increase his lead significantly, with wins in six states and won over half the delegates at stake.

[27][28] The participating states included Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota (with caucuses), Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia.

Results from the North Dakota and Wyoming caucuses were yet to be determined, as their delegates were not required to support the winners of those contests and can freely pledge to their preferred candidate during their respective state party conventions.

The Green Party of the United States hosted two contests, a primary in Massachusetts and a caucus in Minnesota, both of which were won by Jill Stein.

[37] Five states held both Democratic and Republican primaries: Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and Missouri.

The Republican races were particularly significant as four of these, excepting the North Carolina primary, were the first in the cycle to use winner-takes-all voting systems.

[40][41][42] Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Virginia all held their presidential primaries on that date.

[45][46][47] This was driven in large part by the two most populous states in the country, California and Texas, allotting 415 and 228 delegates, respectively, on Super Tuesday.

[46][47][48] Joe Biden won Alabama, Arkansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.