(Bloomberg) -- In case you were worried that the Democratic primary might go smoothly, Los Angeles has got you covered.

The county’s new, $300 million voting system contributed to delays in the most populous area of the state on Super Tuesday.

About 20% of the county’s new voting machines were down as of 11:45 a.m. Pacific time, said Michael Sanchez, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Clerk.

The system faced intense scrutiny in recent weeks from election integrity advocates, who claimed that the machines failed to meet the state’s intense security standards.

Officials are still troubleshooting the problem and replacing voting machines where necessary, Sanchez said, adding that high voter turnout was also causing longer-than-normal lines.

Biden Thinks He’ll Win Delegates in California (2:37 p.m.)

Joe Biden thinks he will meet the 15% threshold needed to win delegates in the California primary, an outcome that had been in doubt as recently as last weekend.

Talking with voters at an event in Oakland, California, the former vice president was optimistic.

“My hopes are high,” he said. “I think we’re gonna do well on Super Tuesday. I think we’ll qualify here and we’ll meet the threshold. And I think we’re gonna win a number of states as well.”

Biden was polling in California below the 15% threshold needed to win delegates through the end of February. But polls taken in the days just before and after his commanding win in the South Carolina primary Saturday put him above that level.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders is still favored to win the largest chunk of the 415 delegates up for grabs in California, the biggest prize on Super Tuesday. -- Jennifer Epstein

Democrats Explore Convention Options for Virus (2:01 p.m.)

Democrats are exploring contingency plans for the national convention if the coronavirus remains a concern in mid-July.

Joe Solmonese, chief executive officer of the convention committee, said that planners want to make sure they ensure the safety of attendees as well as residents of Milwaukee.

“As we prepare to welcome Americans to Milwaukee this summer, the convention team will remain in constant communication with the local, state, and federal authorities responsible for protecting public health and security,” he said in a statement.

He said the committee would follow the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and state and local health officials on convention planning.

Neither President Donald Trump nor any of the Democratic candidates have yet made any changes to rallies due to outbreaks of the virus in the U.S.

Comey Endorses Biden in Virginia Primary (1:43)

James Comey has earned the ire of yet another 2016 presidential candidate.

The former FBI director angered supporters of Hillary Clinton with his handling of her email controversy and was later fired by President Donald Trump amid the Russia investigation.

And now, in a tweet Tuesday, he said he was voting in the Virginia primary against Bernie Sanders.

A longtime Republican, Comey said it was the first time he has voted in a Democratic primary. He said he wanted to support the party “dedicated to restoring values” in the White House and was backing Joe Biden.

“I agree with @amyklobuchar: We need candidate who cares about all Americans and will restore decency, dignity to the office. There is a reason Trump fears @joebiden and roots for Bernie,” he tweeted.

As it turns out, the Biden campaign wasn’t too keen for the endorsement. “Yes, customer service?” tweeted Biden’s rapid-response director, Andrew Bates. “I just received a package that I very much did not order. How can I return it, free of charge?”

Biden, Bloomberg Advise Tornado-Hit Voters (12:14 p.m.)

Two of the Democratic presidential candidates are advising Nashville residents how to vote in light of the deadly tornado that hit the area overnight.

Former Vice President Joe Biden told voters to follow the Tennessee Democratic Party’s Twitter account to find out about changes to voting.

“Jill and I send our thoughts and prayers for the safety of Tennesseans affected by the tornado,” he tweeted. “Stay safe out there — and if you’re voting today, be sure to follow @tdnp for updates.”

The campaign of former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, meantime, advised residents check with the county website.

“If you were affected by the tornado in Middle Tennessee today please check the Davidson County election commission website,” the campaign tweeted. “If you are experiencing any other voting issues call our campaign.”

(Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.)

Sanders, Warren Vote for Themselves (10:41)

Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren voted in their home states of Vermont and Massachusetts early on Super Tuesday. Sanders, at least, confirmed he was voting for himself.

Sanders and his wife, Jane, arrived at the Robert Miller Community and Recreation Center in Burlington in a blue Subaru with a “Bernie” sticker on it.

“I want to make sure we get at least two votes in Vermont,” he joked.

Warren walked past a throng of supporters who lined the path from her home to a polling place in Cambridge, some of whom led a chant about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Minnesota is also holding a primary, but Amy Klobuchar dropped out Monday and endorsed Joe Biden. -- Tyler Pager

Coming Up

Six states hold primaries March 10.

Democratic candidates debate again in Phoenix on March 15.

(Disclaimer: Michael Bloomberg is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination. He is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP, the parent company of Bloomberg News.)

--With assistance from Tyler Pager and Jennifer Epstein.

To contact the reporters on this story: Ryan Teague Beckwith in Washington, D.C. at rbeckwith3@bloomberg.net;Kartikay Mehrotra in San Francisco at kmehrotra2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Wendy Benjaminson at wbenjaminson@bloomberg.net, Magan Crane, Gregory Mott

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