Ruth Meier, from Silver Lake, Kan, votes at the Prairie Home Cemetery building, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Topeka, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Topeka ? Republican and Democratic party officials in Douglas County are hoping for big turnouts in the March 5 caucuses, when Kansas voters will get to choose who they want to be their party’s presidential nominees.

One of the biggest uncertainties for local officials in both political parties, though, is how many candidates will still be in the race by March 5, because that will have a lot to do with how many voters decide to show up.

“I really have no way of knowing, but I expect a bigger turnout than last time,” said Douglas County Republican Chairwoman Kathleen Ammel. “Last time (in 2012), I think about 800 people came through.”

Sen. Marci Francisco, D-Lawrence, who was in charge of lining up caucus sites statewide for the Democrats, said she’s hopeful for a big turnout too, even if the Democratic nomination is all but over by that point.

“Even if the race is decided, I think there’s a lot of interest in going to the convention,” she said. “It’s a convention, and if you go you get to represent your (local) delegates.”

Between now and March 5, 14 other states will hold primaries and caucuses — they are different states for Republicans and Democrats — that could winnow the field of candidates in both parties.

Most of those will be packed into the “Super Tuesday” primaries and caucuses on March 1, just four days before Kansas voters make their choice. By the time those contests are over, nearly a third of all the Republican delegates, and a fourth of all the Democratic delegates, will already have been chosen.

“There’s a chance the race could be decided after the Super Tuesday primaries,” said Clay Barker, executive director of the Kansas Republican Party

Originally, 11 Republicans and four Democrats filed to be on the ballots in Kansas. But just since the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries, several of those have dropped out of the race or suspended their campaigns.

Kerry Gooch, executive director of the Kansas Democratic Party, said Democratic voters can still caucus for any candidate they choose, even though Martin O’Malley, the former Maryland governor, has officially suspended his campaign.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are still in a competitive race. And dark horse candidate Roque De La Fuente, a San Diego businessman, will be on the ballot as well.

On the Republican side, state executive director Clay Barker said, there are only six active candidates left: Donald Trump; Marco Rubio; Ted Cruz; Jeb Bush; John Kasich; and Ben Carson. Carly Fiorina, who recently suspended her campaign, will be on the ballot nonetheless because her campaign did not ask to be withdrawn before the ballots had to be printed, Barker said.

Both parties will also give voters the option of declaring themselves “uncommitted.” That could be important in the event of a close contest in either party because uncommitted delegates can go to the national convention and vote for whomever they choose on the first ballot.

Where to caucus

The two major parties have different caucus sites, and different rules about which site to choose.

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For Democrats, polling sites are determined by the voter’s State Senate District.

Voters in District 2, represented by Francisco, will caucus at Liberty Memorial Central Middle School, 1400 Massachusetts St. That district includes most of the city of Lawrence north of 23rd Street and Clinton Parkway, and all of Lecompton. It also includes parts of Kanwaka, Lecompton and Wakarusa townships.

Voters in District 3, represented by Sen. Tom Holland, D-Baldwin City, will caucus at Eudora High School, 2203 Church St. That district includes Baldwin City, Eudora and part of Lawrence south of 23rd Street and Clinton Parkway. It also includes Eudora and Palmyra townships, along with parts of Grant, Wakarusa and Willow Springs townships.

Voters in District 19, represented by Sen. Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, will vote at Highland Park High School, 2424 SE California St., in Topeka. That district stretches into western Douglas County and includes a small portion of extreme southwest Lawrence. It also includes Clinton and Marion townships, along with parts of Kanwaka, Lecompton and Wakarusa townships.

Republicans will have two caucus locations in Douglas County, and voters are free to choose whichever location is most convenient for them, Barker said.

Those locations are Southwest Middle School, 2511 Inverness Drive in Lawrence, and the Baldwin City Library, 800 7th St., in Baldwin City.

When to caucus

Republican caucus locations will be open from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

At the Lawrence location, Ammel said, representatives of the various campaigns will give short speeches on behalf of their candidates from 10 to 11 a.m. Voters can then cast their ballots anytime until 2 p.m.

For Democrats, voters should show up between 1 and 3 p.m. to register. Everyone must be in line by 3 p.m. From there, they divide into their preference groups. A candidate must get at least 15 percent of the attendees to be considered viable. Voters in those smaller, “nonviable” camps will then be given a chance to join one of the larger groups.

At the end of the process, voters will be asked to sign a sheet declaring which candidate they caucused for.

Who is eligible to vote

The Kansas Republican Party limits participation to voters who were registered Republicans by Feb. 4.

The Democratic caucuses are open to anyone who is eligible to vote in state of Kansas and who will be 18 years old by Election Day, Nov. 8. But they must be a resident of the Senate district in which they vote. They also must be registered as a Democrat, although voters can fill out registration forms and affiliate with the party at the caucus site.

Absentee voting

Republicans have made provisions to allow military personnel, disabled individuals and others who cannot be physically present on the day of the caucuses to participate.

Those voters can request an absentee ballot by calling the state party headquarters at 785-234-3456.

The Kansas Democratic Party has no such provision. Gooch said under state party rules, voters must be physically present at the caucus site in order to vote.