Illinois’ March 16 primary probably will have little impact on the race for the Democratic presidential nomination after today’s 10-state “Super Tuesday” contest, according to Kenneth Janda, a Northwestern political science professor emeritus.

“This is not too atypical,” said Janda, who studies American elections and political parties.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who has maintained commanding leads in recent polls of voters in Super Tuesday states against North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, is likely to sweep contests in 10 states, Janda said.

If Edwards cannot win any states, the Democratic nomination almost certainly is Kerry’s. More than 1,000 delegates are involved in Minnesota’s caucuses and nine primaries in California, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont.

Students hailing from states holding primaries today will be watching the results tonight after mailing home absentee ballots.

“It came down to who can beat Bush,” said Medill freshman Samantha Frank, a California native who voted for Kerry using an absentee ballot. “Things have been going pretty well for Bush, but if something happens, I think Kerry would be able to bring down Bush.”

Casting an absentee ballot often requires diligence that few voters possess. Voters request the ballot from their state weeks in advance via mail. Many states require that the ballot be sent back so it arrives on election day, while others ask that the ballot be postmarked by the date of the contest.

“You have to plan a good month and a half before the actual election,” said Frank, also voted by mail in California’s October gubernatorial recall.

Communication senior Melody Barron, who is from Connecticut, said she became discouraged with the absentee ballot process after the 2000 election when she heard that absentee ballots are counted last or, sometimes, not at all.

“It’s just so hard when you’re moving around a lot (and) when you’re in college because you don’t have roots anywhere,” she said.

Some students seeking to avoid the hassle of voting by absentee ballot chose to register to vote in Illinois. About 300 students have registered to vote in Illinois’ primary through Associated Student Government’s deputy registrar program.

The key benefit of voting by absentee ballot is that it allows voters to cast their choices on local issues and initiatives, which only residents usually are eligible to decide, Janda said.

Frank said her absentee ballot let her vote on several propositions on the ballot in California today — something she couldn’t have done if she had decided to vote in Illinois’ primary.