US candidates battle for votes

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As Americans in more than 20 states cast their votes, polls in key states including California, New Jersey, Arizona and Missouri show the pair are in a series of close races.

The battle over whether Americans will be able to vote for their first woman or first black president in November is so close it is unlikely to be decided on Tuesday, despite it being the closest the nation has ever come to a national primary election.

In the Republican contest, the party's front-runner John McCain will try to put more ground between himself and his main rival Mitt Romney.

The key to victory is the number of delegates, with the Democratic candidates in need of 2,025 and the Republicans aiming to accrue 1,191.

Delegate-rich California will be crucial, and Illinois senator Mr Obama has come from more than 10 points behind just two weeks ago to draw level with the former First Lady and New York senator.

Raising more than 32 million dollars (£16.3m) in January, and gaining the support of three generations of the Kennedy family along with that of TV star Oprah Winfrey and Maria Shriver, wife of California's Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, all helped boost Mr Obama's campaign.

In the Republican contest, Mr McCain won Mr Schwarzenegger's endorsement last week which he hopes will help pave the way to victory. A similar endorsement by Florida governor Charlie Crist was seen as significant in Mr McCain's victory in the Sunshine State.

New York, New Jersey, Arizona and Missouri will also be critical with hundreds of delegates available.

Looking ahead, attention will swiftly turn to the later primaries, including those in Texas and Ohio on March 4, in one of the closest nomination contests in a generation.