Great deal at stake today

With the Democratic presidential race narrowing to razor-thin margins, California voters are set to play a key role in national politics for the first time in years as they head to the polls today. Harrison Sheppard in the Daily News.

With tension mounting in the race for the White House - along with several controversial statewide ballot measures - analysts predict that voter turnout could top 60percent for the first time in a Golden State presidential primary since 1980.

"The excitement about this election is really high," said Kim Alexander, president of the California Voter Foundation. "I think that's part of the problem. I mean, it's great, but for
county election officials, it's going to be a challenge to handle all the questions."