Utah holds Super Tuesday primary voting for the first time

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah voters’ first chance to go to the polls on Super Tuesday amid a hotly contested Democratic nominating contest is bringing strong turnout and busy polling places.

The Democratic front-runner is Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, though Utah voters have also been courted by moderates leading up to the contest on the day named for the high-profile series of contests in 14 delegate-rich states across the country.

While Sanders has a deep well of popularity with the state's left-leaning voters, some moderate candidates have courted middle-of-the-road voters with a pitch that they offer the best chance to unseat the president.