By The Associated Press | Posted - Mar. 23, 2016 at 12:30 a.m.

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BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Latest on the Idaho Democratic presidential caucuses (all times local):

12:22 a.m.

Bernie Sanders has won Idaho's Democratic caucus.

Sanders and Hillary Clinton were vying for the state's 27 delegates to the party's national convention in Philadelphia this summer.

And while Idaho is one of the most conservative states in the nation, having not voted for a Democratic presidential candidate since Lyndon Johnson in 1964, Sanders actively courted voters here.

He had campaign rallies in eastern Idaho as well as Boise.

President Barack Obama handily won the Democratic contest in Idaho in 2008.

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9 p.m.

Idaho's largest Democratic presidential caucus has finally begun.

Ada County voters were supposed to begin at 7 p.m. MDT, but overwhelming crowds delayed the event for nearly two hours. It's unknown how long voting will take and how soon results will be released.

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8:30 p.m.

Democratic Party officials were turning people who arrived in line after 7 p.m. away from participating in the presidential caucus.

Thousands flocked to downtown Boise to participate in Tuesday's election. However, long lines had prevented the event from starting on time at 7 p.m. MDT.

But even after cutting off the line, the lines still wrapped along several city blocks.

Some people in Ada County were filling out their ballots while standing in line in the cold rather than caucus for the candidate.

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7 p.m.

Idaho Democratic Party officials in Ada County say they won't be starting on time because people are still lined up around the block waiting to register for the presidential caucus.

Caucuses across the state were expected to close the doors and begin the process of selecting a presidential nominee at 7 p.m. MDT. But the line for the Ada County caucuses in downtown Boise had already wrapped around three city blocks an hour before the event was supposed to begin, forcing officials to delay the start time.

It was not clear exactly when the caucus would be able to begin.

Organizers had urged people to pre-register for the caucus online, and several thousand did so. The Idaho Democratic Party doesn't require ID or proof of address to participate, but caucus-goers must sign a document stating they are eligible to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 general election.

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5:15 p.m.

A line was already starting to form at Idaho's largest Democratic presidential caucus site in downtown Boise early Tuesday evening.

State Democratic Party leaders hope to see 21,000 people or more at caucuses across the state. Hundreds of people were lined up shortly after 5 p.m. outside of the Ada County caucus, held at a downtown Boise sports arena.

Caucus-goers will choose between four options: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Rocky De La Fuente or uncommitted. The state will send 27 delegates to the national Democratic nominating convention later this year.

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2:50 p.m.

A handful of counties across Idaho have combined caucus locations because of expected low Democratic voter turnout east of the more liberal-leaning Ada County.

Democrats in Cassia County will caucus with Minidoka County at a hotel in Burley.

Meanwhile, in the heart of Republican-dominated eastern Idaho, Democrats in Clark County and Jefferson County will caucus together. Madison County will meet with Fremont County; Bear Lake County will meet with Caribou County; and Franklin County will gather with Oneida County.

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2 p.m.

Idaho's Democratic caucuses are open to anyone, unlike the state's closed Republican presidential primary. Some new voters are eagerly anticipating their first foray into politics at the caucus Tuesday evening.

Justin Pallister, a 17-year-old Meridian High School senior, is among the first-timers planning to head to the Ada County caucus. To participate, attendees must sign an affidavit saying they will be eligible to vote in the November general election and that they didn't already vote in the Republican primary held earlier this month.

Caucus-goers can pick between four options — Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Rocky De La Fuente or uncommitted.

Pallister says he and 10 friends are rooting for De La Fuente, in part because they don't expect him to win. Pallister says he also likes Bernie Sanders stance on equality issues.

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Idaho Democratic Party leaders preparing for Tuesday's presidential caucuses are hoping for a repeat of 2008, when a record number of people participated. And signs suggest they might be on track.

Four of the state's most populated counties have had to make last-minute changes to accommodate the large crowds expected this evening.

State party spokesman Dean Ferguson says that's the kind of challenge the party likes to deal with.

The caucuses are open to anyone who is eligible to vote in the November general election and who didn't cast a ballot in this month's Republican primary. Caucus-goers will decide among four options: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, California businessman Rocky De La Fuente and uncommitted.

Idaho will send 27 delegates to the national nominating convention.

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An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated why new voter Justin Pallister is supporting Rocky De La Fuente in the Idaho Democratic Caucus. Pallister likes rooting for De La Fuente because he's an underdog that Pallister doesn't expect to win.

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