The Rhode Island primary

Here's some information about Rhode Island, as we await the results. The polls closed at 9 PM. It's a reliably Democratic state at the national level. Registered Democrats (35%) vastly outnumber Republicans (11%), but a majority of voters (53%) are unaffiliated and lean heavily Democratic. The latter can vote in either primary today simply by showing up; voting in a primary automatically registers you as a member of the party (unless you then fill out a form to disaffiliate). RI has 33 delegates, 21 of which are pledged delegates. John Edwards is still on the ballot.

The state's demographics are 79% white, 11% hispanic, 6% black. RI is heavily Catholic (63%). Hillary Clinton has tended to do somewhat better on average with Catholics, and she probably will do better in RI than any of the other primaries today.

Turnout in Rhode Island primaries typically is abysmal, the lowest in the country, though it has never before mattered and usually never even sees the candidates. Today turnout is reportedly at or near record levels. That means that unaffiliateds will decide the result.

“We’ve been visiting the polling places in Greater Providence – Warwick, East Providence, Cranston – and poll workers are saying this is the heaviest turnout they’ve ever seen,” said [RI Secretary of State] Mollis spokesman Chris Barnett.

Most of the early reporting towns are more Republican than the rest of the state, though in 2004 Kerry won every town in RI except two. Of the early-reporters, the most representative of the state as a whole are the small towns of Bristol, Tiverton,  and Warren, and the small city Woonsocket.

Update: Most of the early precincts, including the majority in for Tiverton and Woonsocket, give Clinton about twice as many votes as Obama. That will narrow as some of the bigger cities report, but it's looking now like a strong Clinton win. NBC has called the state for Clinton.