(CNN) – CNN projects that Arkansas' Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate will go to a runoff.
With 50 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, Sen. Blanche Lincoln led Lt. Gov. Bill Halter 43.6 percent to 42.2. percent. Businessman D.C. Morrison had 14.2 percent.
To avoid a runoff, a candidate would need at least one vote more than 50 percent.
(CNN) – Sen. Blanche Lincoln had an early lead over Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in Arkansas' Democratic primary for U.S. Senate.
With 21 percent of precincts reporting, Lincoln had 44.8 percent of the vote. Halter had 41.1 percent, and fellow Democrat D.C. Morrison had 14.1 percent.
A runoff will be held if no candidate gets more than 50 percent on Tuesday.
Little Rock, Arkansas (CNN) – The campaigns for Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Lieutenant Gov. Bill Halter are in full swing Tuesday as each candidate in the Arkansas Senate Democratic primary tries to get enough votes to break the requisite 50-percent mark to avoid a run-off.
Lincoln and Halter voted and spent much of the day trying to shore up support or win over voters.
"We had 25 hours of non-stop campaigning. And [it's] culminated [in] coming here to vote," Halter said at the Central Baptist Church – where he voted. "It's been terrific."
Lincoln, voting at the St. James United Methodist Church, expressed a similar sentiment.
"I've had a wonderful reception across the state," she said to CNN Senior Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash.
And yet, the slams that have marked much of the race were still on display with just hours to go before poll closings.
(CNN) - Politicians can usually count on at least one vote on Election Day: their own.
But Sen. Blanche Lincoln ran into a bit of trouble Tuesday in Arkansas.
During the Election Day rite-of-passage photo opportunity in which candidates cast a vote – presumably for themselves – Lincoln hit a snag. The candidate was asked to produce her driver's license and voter ID card before voting at a polling station in Little Rock, because records indicated she had already voted absentee.
Lincoln's campaign staff was aware of the problem, and the candidate was allowed to fill out a provisional ballot.
Lincoln said she typically votes absentee, but notified officials last month she intended to vote in person for this election - but voter rolls were not updated to reflect the request.
"We normally do this, you have to just fill out a form to ensure that they know that you haven't voted twice," Lincoln told reporters after being allowed to vote using a provisional ballot.
Little Rock, Arkansas (CNN) – Democrats have held the Senate seat that is currently up for grabs in Arkansas for 131 years. Sen. Blanche Lincoln and Lt. Gov. Bill Halter hope to keep it that way. But the two Democrats are battling over who deserves to keep their party's streak going.
On Tuesday, Halter cast an early morning vote for himself. But Lincoln experienced a bit of a mix up: election officials had her listed as already voting absentee. Lincoln's campaign says the senator requested an absentee ballot but never filled it out. They expect for the issue to be resolved.
The potentially pivotal primary is attracting national attention. Lincoln, seeking a third term and endorsed by President Obama, is running as a moderate Democrat who prides herself on finding pragmatic solutions, even if it puts her at odds with her party. Halter, backed by several labor unions, has flanked his campaign to the left of the senator and supports many positions that liberals identify with.
A third candidate, Arkansas businessman DC Morrison, has very little name ID in the state and polls show low support for him.
Little Rock, Arkansas (CNN) - Sen. Blanche Lincoln is campaigning across Arkansas Monday, one day ahead of a potentially pivotal Democratic primary.
But as the Democrat looks for votes, she faces grumblings from one key constituency that has overwhelmingly supported her in the past: African-Americans.
Lincoln is locked in a tight race with Arkansas Lieutenant Gov. Bill Halter. A third candidate, Arkansas businessman DC Morrison, has very little name recognition in the state and is registering low in the polls.
But support for Morrison could pull away votes from Lincoln and force a run-off between the top two vote getters. A candidate would have to receive at least 50-percent of the vote in Tuesday's primary to avoid a run-off.
Among the groups Lincoln is courting are African-Americans, a group that gave her 96-percent of its vote in the 2004 election. President Obama has endorsed Lincoln, and an ad featuring him is playing on black radio stations.
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