Five US states are holding primary elections for November's presidential poll, in a crucial round that could give Democratic and Republican front-runners a chance to cement their leads.
Polls have opened in Ohio and Florida - both deemed key states - as well as in North Carolina, Illinois and Missouri.
Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is hoping to fend off her resurgent challenger, Bernie Sanders.
Meanwhile Donald Trump will aim to edge out his rivals in the Republican race.
The New York real estate mogul is the favourite to win his party's nomination but has run into fierce opposition from within the Republican establishment, as well as facing condemnation from the Democrats.
He scored an early success on Tuesday when he secured all nine delegates in the Northern Mariana Islands, part of the US Pacific Commonwealth, after winning almost 73% of the Republican caucus there.
Victories for any of Mr Trump's rivals - Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, or John Kasich - in this round of primaries would give hope to the Republicans fighting to block him.
But polls have given Mr Trump a healthy showing in all five mainland states.
Two primaries seen as most crucial are in the winner-takes-all states of Florida, offering 99 delegates, and Ohio, with 66 delegates.
Senator Rubio, currently in third place for the Republican nomination, has said he must win in Florida, his home state, in order to stop Mr Trump from "hijacking" his party's nomination, but polls put Mr Trump slightly ahead.
However, Mr Trump is trailing Mr Kasich in Ohio, where the fourth-place candidate for the nomination is governor.
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