Idaho Caucus: Sanders Leads in Preliminary Results

Bernie Sanders 18640 votes, 298 delegates, 78.04% WINNER

Hillary Clinton 5065 votes, 86 delegates, 21.21%

Magic Valley County Breakdown

Blaine: Clinton 31.56%, Sanders 68.31%

Cassia: Clinton 38.71%, Sanders 61.29%

Gooding: Clinton 36.36%, Sanders 63.64%

Jerome: Clinton 23.02%, Sanders 76.98%

Twin Falls: Clinton 27.80%, Sanders 72.20%

Minidoka: Clinton 33.33%, Sanders 65.38%

Lincoln: Clinton 38.46%, Sanders 56.41%

UPDATE: 5:10 a.m, 3/23: Sen. Bernie Sanders has won Idaho in the Democratic Presidential Caucus.

UPDATE, 11: 50 p.m.: At a little before midnight, caucus ballots were still being counted in the Gem State. But preliminary results showed that Sanders still led the vote count as Idaho's Democratic choice.

In Utah, which caucused and held Republican primary elections Tuesday, only 3 percent of its primary ballots had been counted before midnight, but the Associated Press was reporting that Ted Cruz was leading the Republican charge with more than 58 percent of the vote. John Kasich was in second place at 22 percent, and Donald Trump at 19.2 percent. At 15 percent reporting in the caucus, Sanders had won with 18 of the state delegates.

For more election news, be sure to listen to News Radio 1310 on Wednesday morning when Benito Baeza and Top Story host Bill Colley will provide more information. 

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KLIX) – Preliminary results show that Bernie Sanders is leading in Idaho’s Democratic caucus, but it's still too early to call the winner. 

As of 9:45 p.m., Sanders was leading at 38.68 percent, according to information from the Idaho Democratic Party, followed by Hillary Clinton at 34.67 percent. Another 22.71 percent of voters were in the uncommitted list. Results for Twin Falls County and several other counties across the state have not yet been reported.

Doors closed promptly at 7 p.m. for voting Tuesday at caucus locations across the state.

The College of Southern Idaho Fine Arts Center, one caucus location of many in south-central Idaho, had a lively turnout where Girl Scout cookies were sold and at least one voter shouting, "Hilary can't beat Trump. Bernie's our only shot."

Twin Falls resident Anthony Avelar, who caucused at the Fine Arts Center, said he was voting for Bernie Sanders because he believed Sanders was the best candidate to initiate change, “especially when it comes to corporations.”

Different than a Republican primary, a Democratic caucus usually includes speeches and friendly debates between candidate voters, according to the Idaho Democratic Party website. It’s where voters select delegates who will represent their candidate at the State Convention, held this year June 16-19 in Boise.

Idaho held Republic primary elections on March 8, and Gem State voters at that time chose Ted Cruz over front-runner Donald Trump, giving the Texas senator 20 of the state's 32 delegates.

Utah and Arizona also caucused today and held Republic primary elections. Trump won all of the Grand Canyon State's 58 delegates, but Utah polls don't close until 11 p.m. For the Democrats, Clinton is the projected winner for Arizona.

Townsquare Media’s Julie Pizarro contributed to this report.