超级星期二（Super Tuesday）

“超级星期二” 这一用语从1988年开始流行，当时一些南方州联合起来，举行了第一次有影响力的大规模地区初选，以期提升南方各州在总统候选人提名程序中的重要性，减弱艾奥瓦预选和新罕布什尔初选等早期投票结果的影响。今天，该用语的意义已经较为宽泛，多指在总统初选季节不同地区于一个或数个星期二可能举行的数场州级初选。这些集中举行的初选意义重大，因为这种大规模的投票结果会产生一大批全国党代会代表，可能导致角逐总统候选人的某些人士脱颖而出或被迫出局。2012年的“超级星期二”为3月6日。但是，由于一些州已将初选日期提前，因此今年“超级星期二”的重要性将不如往年。

Super Tuesday
Widespread use of the phrase “Super Tuesday” dates from 1988, when a group of Southern states banded together to hold the first large and effective regional group of primaries in order to boost the importance of Southern states in the presidential nomination process and lessen the impact of early votes in the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary. Today, the meaning of the phrase is blurred, a reflection of the fact that, during the presidential primary season, there may be several groups of state primaries in various regions falling on one or more Tuesdays. These groupings are important because the weight of such a large, simultaneous vote tends to make or break would-be presidential nominees because so many convention delegates are selected at once. In 2012, Super Tuesday is March 6 but, because some states have moved their primaries to earlier dates, it will be less “super” than in past elections.