Monday 2/11

Sunday 2/10

5 p.m.: The Republican Party released new numbers. With 93 percent of the vote counted, McCain had 25.4 percent, down .1 percent; Huckabee had 23.8 percent, up .1 percent; Paul had 20.7 percent, up .1 percent; and Romney had 16.7 percent, up .2 percent.

3:45 p.m.: In an interview with KING 5 News on Sunday, Washington State GOP Chairman Luke Esser said the party feels confident that Sen. McCain is going to "hold up."

"We've done an analysis of the counties that remain and how those counties are trending  so far and actually put in a factor, even if Gov. Huckabee's result improved by a factor of two, according to our analysis, he still woldn't make up enough ground to take the lead back," said Esser.

3:47 p.m.: NBC reports that Barack Obama is the projected winner of the Maine Democratic caucuses.

2:25 p.m.: Huckabee campaign issues a press release, saying " The Huckabee Presidential Campaign will be exploring all available legal options regarding the dubious final results for the state of Washington State Republican precinct caucuses."

2:20 p.m.: Citing "tremendous interest" in the party's results, Washington State GOP Chairman Luke Esser said Washington Republicans would try to continue counting caucus results on Sunday, but could not immediately promise that any new results would be released, the Associated Press reports.

1:24 p.m.: Maine caucus results - with 11 percent counted, Obama has 50 percent, Clinton 48 percent.

11:56 a.m.: Huckabee blog - http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=Blogs.View&Blog_id=1419 - is showing complaints about the fact that the GOP stopped counting last night and declared McCain the winner with only 87% of the precincts reporting.

9:27 a.m.: Associated Press reports Republican Mike Huckabee said Sunday he's not ready to concede Washington state, even though the state Republican Party has declared Arizona Sen. John McCain the winner of Saturday's caucuses. In an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," the former Arkansas governor said his campaign is looking into some legal issues, without going into specifics.

Saturday:

10:43 p.m. Associated Press is declaring McCain has won the Washington GOP nomination. KING 5 News, however, feels it is still too close to call. The head of the state Republican party says he feels McCain will be the winner.

10:33 p.m. With what are expected to be the final numbers given tonight in the GOP voting, the standings in Washington state are:

87% in

McCain - 26%

Huckabee - 24%

Paul - 21%

Romney - 17%

10:25 p.m. Additional updates from the GOP aren't expected for some time. It may be morning before the vote counts are completely in.

9:45 p.m.: Results from Pierce County Republican caucuses are in, bringing GOP standings in Washington state to:

McCain - 26%

Huckabee -24%

Paul - 21%

Romney - 16%

That's with 83 percent reporting.

9:35 p.m. Mike Huckabee has won the GOP primary in Louisiana.

And we've added a slide show of photos from Washington state caucuses.

8:45 p.m. The Seattle Times has info on what happens next in the political process, and local bloggers are recounting their caucus experiences. Also check KING5.com's video page for video of today's events.

8:40 p.m. The latest Democratic caucus results by jurisdiction show Douglas County as the only county that favored Clinton over Obama.

8:20 p.m.: The latest numbers from the Washington GOP, with 87 percent of precincts reporting, show McCain pulling ahead:

McCain - 25%

Huckabee - 24%

Paul - 21%

Romney - 16%

8 p.m. According to a press release, McCain leads the GOP in King County, where Republicans say the turnout exceeded all expectations. King County numbers, with 87 percent reporting, are:

Mike Huckabee - 640 (19.25%)

John McCain - 1,057 (31.8%)

Ron Paul - 612 (18.41%)

Mitt Romney - 484 (14.56%)

Uncommitted - 520 (15.64%)

Others - 11 (0.33%)

These King County numbers are not yet part of statewide totals. When the next statewide report comes out – which should happen any time - it's likely the addition of King County numbers will put McCain in the lead.

7:20 p.m.: The latest numbers from the GOP in Washington state, with 37 percent in:

Huckabee - 27%

McCain - 23%

Paul - 21%

Romney -18% 

7 p.m. NBC News projects Obama has won the Louisiana caucuses.

6:30 p.m. Obama supporters are gathered for a victory party at F.X. McRory's in downtown Seattle. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels tells KING 5 reporters: "What's happening with Barack Obama is a movement – it's something different."

6:15 p.m. Preliminary numbers from the GOP in Washington show a horse race. With 16 percent in, here are the standings:

McCain - 27%

Huckabee - 26%

Paul - 21%

Romney - 17%

5:46 p.m. The Associated Press and NBC News project Barack Obama has won the Washington caucuses. The state Democratic party has numbers on its Web site.

5:25 p.m. Barack Obama has won the Democratic caucuses in Nebraska.

5:16 p.m. Early numbers show Illinois Sen. Barack Obama with a big lead in Washington state. With about 24 percent of the results in, Obama was winning 65 percent of delegates to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton's 33 percent.

5 p.m. As Times blogger David Postman reports, early numbers show Obama looking strong in Western Washington.

According to the Associated Press: "Turnout was lighter at Republican caucuses with Arizona Sen. John McCain carrying a commanding national lead over former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee."

In the meantime, political parties are gathering at "watch parties," awaiting for results to come in.

4:45 p.m. Reports about record turnouts keep coming in. At Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, where the 37th Legislative District met today, organizers were prepared for 600 people. But KING 5's Mike Cate estimates twice that number. They ran out of ballots, they ran out of sign-in sheets, and they had to move out of the cafeteria into the library and the halls. Cate describes it as "pandemonium," and says "the Obama folks have it."

4:30 p.m. Seattle bakery Cupcake Royale is having a "Cupcake Caucus" to raise money for charity. Customers are casting votes by buying treats to support their favorite candidates. Obama and Hillary cupcakes are flying off the shelves. The store says it has McCain cupcakes, but nobody has requested one.

4:15 p.m. The Washington Democrats report a record-shattering turnout at today's caucuses. In a press release just sent out, they say initial counts suggest nearly double the turnout from four years ago - when a previous record of 100,000 Democrats was set.

4 p.m. A KREM photographer reporting back from a Republican caucus in Spokane says most are undecided.

And a Seattle Times dispatch from Olympia reads: "This is not the official count but there were approximately 15 delegates for Obama, 5/6 for Clinton and 1 undecided. There was an excitement of enthusiasm for Obama in his ability to change the climate of politics in general."

Seattle P-I reporters have interviewed some Ron Paul supporters at Nathan Hales' caucus. And there seems to be a large support for Ron Paul in Whatcom County as well, according to Bellingham Herald politics blogger Sam Taylor. He stopped by both GOP and Democratic caucuses, and writes: "On the GOP side - there was a huge Ron Paul turnout, it seemed. There was still a Romney supporter in the room handing out buttons, but I heard from a few people he may have been from California (and had Cali plates)"

And on the Democratic side, Taylor says: "Judging by the precincts I saw caucusing, Barack Obama is going to easily sweep the Whatcom County caucuses."

3:40 p.m. Dispatches from the Seattle Times show Seattle precincts favoring Obama. And here's a dispatch from Tacoma. Daniel Kirschenbaum writes:

"Mass confusion abounded as organizers had apparently not been prepared for the remarkable number of people that came to vote. The party official here estimated that there were at least 1,500 voters rather than the 500 they had anticipated …At my precinct, Obama had 34 votes to Clinton's 22. As I left the caucus, the building erupted with chants of 'O-ba-ma, O-ba-ma!'"

3:30 p.m. KING 5 reporter Roberta Romero just spoke to first-time caucus participant Frances Spillman, who is 98 years old. Spillman said:

"Franklin Roosevelt was the first president I voted for in 1931 … And I'm here today because my neighbor brought me and I'm very happy to be here … I've always voted. I voted in every election that there's been – I've never missed one."

And Myballard.com blog has posted photos from the Democratic caucus at Salmon Bay Elementary

3:15 p.m. You can view video of Gov. Chris Gregoire speaking at the Democratic caucus at Catharine Blaine here.

A caller from a Democratic caucus in Madison Park says the total vote was 83 for Obama and 23 for Clinton.

3 p.m. The Seattle P-I has highlights from early exit polls in Louisiana.

In Seattle, blogger David Postman says the 37th District Republican caucuses are finished. About 100 people participated and while total votes aren't available – McCain had a lot of support.

And Central District News bloggers write about their caucus experience, saying it was "completely packed with people wanting to have their say in this year's election. And as far as I could tell, Obama was winning the day in all precincts."

At Catharine Blaine School in Seattle, the youngest person in attendance is Townsend Taft, just over five months old, who attended with her mother and grandma.

2:45 p.m. We've just posted video from the latest Northwest Cable News report on today's caucuses. Click here to watch.

2:40 p.m. It's 39 for Clinton, 200 for Obama at Woodward Middle School on Bainbridge Island, where participants describe the scene as like the "rotary auction," with no parking and cars lined up on the sides of roads. Kathleen O'Connell says some participants said they usually vote Republican, but decided to support Obama this time around.

At the Catharine Blaine School in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, they're almost done picking out delegates and many precincts were 2 to 1 for Obama. People are starting to filter out.

Dispatchers from the Seattle Times report that at the Dunlap Elementary Democratic Caucus in Rainier Beach, the initial tally is Obama 64, Clinton 11, uncommitted zero. "No one has spoken for Clinton here," writes Leo Henton.

2:30 p.m. NWCN reporter Wilson Chow sends in preliminary numbers from a straw poll conducted at Clark Co. GOP headquarters in Vancouver. The results are: Huckabee: 33 votes, Paul: 28, McCain: 23, Romney: 16, Hunter: 3.

A caller from a Democratic caucus in Madison Park says participants seem to be favoring Obama.

2:25 p.m. : KING 5 reporter Linda Brill says Kentlake High School is "all over the map." She reports:

"We're talking to people who are for Mitt Romney – and who will try to be delegates for Mitt and who will not give up until the end. There's a lot of people in support of Huckabee and it seems those who are in support of McCain would pick Huckabee as a second choice. A small and dedicated group for Ron Paul. You just walk out of here and you don't know really what the consensus is - the only thing that is certain is the uncertainty – and the diversity of opinion."

NWCN

Voters line up outside a packed Catharine Blaine School in Seattle for the Democratic Caucus on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2008.

2:15 p.m.:  Gov. Chris Gregoire just finished speaking to participants at Catharine Blaine School, where CNN is filming news reports. Gregoire said: "Your vote today is making history …Welcome to the party that's going to take American back .. Thank you, God bless you for making this happen today."

The Seattle Times is tracking results in Citizen Dispatches. One dispatcher in Maple Valley writes: "I've personally talked to 13 different people at random, this is their first caucus...they've been life-long Democrats here in Washington. I suppose all that energy and excitement for this election cycle that I"ve been reading about is true."

2 p.m. Precinct 1676  at the Catharine Blaine School in Magnolia just took a preliminary vote. The first votes are Obama – 36, Clinton – 13, Edwards – 1, and uncommitted -1. The table's busy trying to figure out who the uncommitted person is. Organizers are opening doors because with all the crowds - it's getting really hot inside.

Local politics blogs are heating up with updates as well.

And reporters say it's a packed house at the GOP headquarters in Vancouver, Wash., where plenty of Mike Huckabee and Ron Paul supporters have shown up.

1:53 p.m. About 600 Republicans turned out at Kentlake High School – and they're currently gathered in groups according to precinct and filling out questionnaires. A KING 5 reporter says it's hard to gauge who they're favoring yet.

1:46 p.m. Metroblogging Seattle – a local blog - just posted a photo from a caucus at the Seattle Central Community College.

1:40 p.m. Participants at Catharine Blaine in Magnolia were told they're going to have a "surprise guest." While the special guest wasn't named, members of Gov. Gregoire's staff have been sighted.

Seattle Times writer David Postman blogs that a GOP official told a UW journalism student that he couldn’t talk to caucus-goers outside a Seattle Public Library branch . They even threatened to have the 22-year-old removed by police. But the student - Charles Cadwallader – is standing his ground outside the Columbia Branch Library at Alaska Street and Rainier Avenue.

1:30 p.m. People are still waiting to get inside at Sakai Intermediate School, a Democratic caucus location on Bainbridge Island. Caller Catherine Whiting says there's standing room only inside, and there's so many people "we can't even hear ourselves talk." It's the same situation next door, at Woodward Middle School.

Looks like people were able to locate their caucuses, despite trouble with the Democratic party's online caucus-finder this morning.

1:20 p.m. Events have started at Catharine Blaine School. Organizers asked participants to stand up if they were "first-time caucusers," and two thirds of audience members stood up.

1:15 p.m.: Turnout is more than expected at Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, where the 37th Legislative District is meeting. One caller estimates there are 400 people there, and says they don't have seats for everyone.

1 p.m.: Democratic and Republican presidential caucuses are under way across the state. But they've delayed the start at Catharine Blaine School, a Democratic caucus location in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood. KING 5 reporter Robert Mak says the cafeteria is packed and there's standing room only in the hallways.

In the meantime, NBC News projects Mike Huckabee has won the Kansas Republican Caucuses. 

12:50 p.m.: KING 5 reporter Robert Mak calls in from the Catharine Blaine School in Magnolia. Unlike at a polling place - where you're not allowed to campaign or post signs – the campaigning at this caucus starts in the parking lot, where people are handing out literature and encouraging participants support certain candidates.

Mak says people are parking quite a ways away to get there - and there's a "huge line of people" to get in. Eighth graders from Catharine Blaine are selling Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and water to raise money for camp.

12:45: Kathleen O'Connell calls in from Woodward Middle School on Bainbridge Island, a Democratic caucus location. She says parking is almost full and the bleachers in the gym, where caucusing will take place, are about half full. "People are just pouring in," she says.

12:36 p.m. A reporter at the Catharine Blaine School, a Democratic caucus location in Seattle's Magnolia neighborhood, says people starting trickling in about 15 minutes ago. By 12:36, KING 5 Assistant news director Laura Newborn says that campaigners outside the school have already run out of Obama buttons and Obama stickers.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report)