11.   Perhaps the next round of presidential preference polls from Iowa will tell.

12.   POLLS PUT GORE IN LEAD IN ELECTORAL COLLEGE The Hotline, the popular Internet political tip sheet, keeps a running tab of presidential preference polls in various states.

13.   The delegate-selection process prevented candidates from packing the event with supporters flown in from other states, a common tactic in other presidential preference polls.

14.   The presidential preference polls there have Gov. George W. Bush of Texas leading Vice President Al Gore by half a dozen points or more.

15.   THE POLLS STILL TOO CLOSE A new national presidential preference poll has Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore locked in a race too close to call.

16.   The pro-Bush crowd got a little cocky when their guy was racking up double-digit leads in the presidential preference polls before the Democratic National Convention.

17.   The second-term governor is regarded as the front-runner among the Republican presidential hopefuls in early preference polls.

18.   Arizona Sen. John McCain has yet to make a big dent in presidential preference polls, but he has approached the summit of literary success.

19.   Caucuses choose candidates by preference polls, while primaries elect them by ballot.

20.   Louisiana and Iowa have already held caucuses, but those differ from the primary ballot process by holding voter preference polls, a distinction the locals stress.