Among other findings, the poll underscored how the quirks of California's primary could affect the vote when the results are tabulated.
About half of voters are expected to use mail-in ballots -- which have been available since Jan. 7 -- and Clinton was romping over Obama among that group, 53% to 30%. Among those expecting to cast ballots in a traditional precinct visit, the race was a closer 42% to 34% in Clinton's favor. Former Massachusetts Gov. Romney was also running stronger among mail-in voters, if still behind McCain.
Unlike in past campaigns, when the state's delegates were largely awarded to the statewide winner, delegates this year will be allocated on both sides under formulas that are tied to the results in each congressional district. That means that a candidate who loses the statewide vote -- even significantly -- could still pick up delegates with strong regional showings.
There was little distinction at this point in the Republican race, as McCain, a U.S. senator from Arizona, led in all areas. But on the Democratic side, the geographic breakdown showed why the Obama campaign has continued to campaign fiercely in the state despite Clinton's consistent lead.
In the Bay Area, where both campaigns have been airing ads, Obama was within the margin of error, with Clinton ahead 41% to 38%. In the Los Angeles area, the second major Democratic base, Clinton was ahead 45% to 39% -- again within the margin of error. She held strong leads in the rest of the state.
Also complicating the vote Tuesday will be the role of independents -- those who register not with a major party but as "decline to state" voters. They will be allowed to request a ballot for the Democratic or American Independent primaries but not be allowed to vote in the Republican contest.
That led to concern among McCain's partisans, since he has done best this year in primaries where independents bolstered his standing. Even without them in California, he was leading. Obama, however, continued to benefit from their presence, as he has elsewhere. Among Democrats in California, he was losing resoundingly. But he easily carried independent voters, who had sided with Clinton in the poll two weeks ago.
Still, the most striking movement in the two weeks since the last Times Poll came on the Republican side. Two weeks ago, McCain, Romney, former New York Mayor Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Huckabee were bunched between 13% and 20% of the vote, a statistical tie.
