Provisional ballots to decide New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Thousands of provisional ballots took center-stage Wednesday in New Mexico's Democratic presidential caucuses with the race too close to call.

Unofficial results from 31 counties showed fewer than 120 votes separated Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, with Clinton ahead 51 percent to 49 percent. Some 16,000 provisional ballots, given to people who could not go to their designated caucus sites and whose names could not be located on polling rolls, remained to be counted, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson remained on the ballot despite shelving his presidential bid. He did not appear to be playing a spoiler Tuesday with only about 1 percent of the vote.

There were 38 delegates up for grabs Tuesday, which Obama and Clinton both pursued vigorously. Both candidates visited the state in the run-up to Super Tuesday, the Journal said. The Republicans did not hold a caucus Tuesday.

The results trickled in slowly Tuesday night as party officials plowed through the high volume of ballots.

The Journal said the polls closed at 7 p.m., with party officials reporting lines of people still waiting to vote.

But Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colon said people waiting in line at closing time would still be able to vote.

"The turnout's off the charts," Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colon said. "We're just thrilled and overwhelmed with the turnout."