Over the next week, Americans in more than 30 nations will line up - at a hotel in Australia, a pub in Ireland, and a Starbucks in Thailand - so their voices can be heard in the global primary, according to Democrats Abroad, an official branch of the party representing expatriates.

Others will cast ballots for the first time ever by Internet - an option Republicans remain unable to offer members - while others stick to more traditional mail or fax.

The Super Tuesday campaign kicks off in Indonesia, where Obama lived with his mother from the age of 6 until 10, experiencing the harsh realities of Third World poverty and disease, together with rich religious and cultural lessons.

Two hundred Democrats are registered to vote in the predominantly Muslim nation of 235 million (S$332.6 million), said Mr Arian Ardie, chair of the Democrats Abroad Indonesia.

Many are expected to gather at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in the bustling capital, where Obama's sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng, and Hillary Clinton's daughter, Chelsea, will speak to them by telephone.

'Overseas votes are having a greater and greater impact on US election results,' said Mr Ardie.

'We can help restore America's image overseas.'

Some 6 million Americans living abroad are eligible to vote in US elections, but in the past only a fraction have done so, in part because their only option was to mail absentee ballot request forms to the last US county of residence.

There was no guarantee shaky mail systems in developing countries would deliver them in time - and often they did not.

Overseas votes this year will be represented at the Democratic National Convention in August by 22 delegates, who according to party rules get half a vote each for a total of 11.

That's more than US territories get, but fewer than the least populous states, Wyoming and Alaska, which get 18 delegate votes each.

Republicans Abroad has operated independently of the Republican Party since 2003, and therefore cannot hold in-person or Internet votes abroad.

But it is organising to get more overseas Republicans registered back home before the primaries. -- AP