US voters' views: Montana and S Dakota

We have been asking BBC News website readers from key US states to share their opinions and views throughout one of the most hotly contested presidential primary seasons in many years.

Here, Democratic voters from the final primary states to vote, Montana and South Dakota, react to Barack Obama's victory in the delegate count and give their opinion on what Hillary Clinton should do next.

CASSIE LEE APPLEGATE, 25, STUDENT, RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA

As a Barack Obama supporter, his overall victory on Tuesday turned out to be a really historic and exciting moment.

I was disappointed he didn't win in South Dakota, but it has been very promising - in a state that always votes Republican - to see so much interest in the Democratic race.

There was a big increase in the number of registered Democrats in this state and that in itself is promising for Obama's chances in November.

I think Hillary Clinton should really concede now.

Putting her on the ticket as VP would be a smart move for both. She can bring in groups of voters like older voters and women.

I don't think it would be difficult for them to work together after the primary campaign, and after all their differences pale in comparison to McCain.

I just hope she doesn't decide to continue on until the convention in Denver, trying to pick up superdelegates, as that would just feel like cheating to me.

I hope she decides this week. She is really the only option for VP and a joint ticket between the two would be too strong for McCain.

MICHAEL STRAND, 46, ATTORNEY, HELENA, MONTANA

I voted for Hillary Clinton because I felt that she was willing to take greater risks than any of the other candidates, Democrat or Republican, throughout the primary campaign.

I feel that she suffered from the widespread criticism she received, far more than any other candidate.

However, despite the fact that most of the criticism aimed at her was blown way out of proportion or was completely unjustified, she handled herself with dignity and grace.

That said, I believe that Mr Obama shows promise and could create a formidable administration if he can surround himself with the right talent, especially in positions that have been sadly neglected by the current administration, such as justice, the environment and aviation.

I think the time has come for Hillary to step aside with as much grace as she can.

It is a massive decision, so I have little time for anyone suggesting over the last couple of months that she should just quit the race.

I think she should try to angle for the Vice President's job if she finds she can get along well enough with Mr Obama.

Another option would be to take a cabinet position that would allow her to pursue her healthcare agenda, but only with certain assurances of autonomy from Mr Obama.

LISA WERNER, 43, TEACHER, BOZEMAN, MONTANA

Tuesday was really a unique day for our state.

It was very unusual for us to have such an important voice in this election.

We were excited to be so instrumental in the nomination of Barack Obama as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party. And we did it!

There was a real energy all day. It seemed more like a general election than a primary.

There were lines at the polling stations. In Montana! There are hardly ever lines in Montana - certainly never for primary elections.

The high school students at my school said they wished they were old enough to vote - I'd never heard that before. Obama t-shirts and buttons were everywhere.

Now we have finally put a candidate on the ticket with vision, an open mind and keen intelligence. He is a true statesman.

As for Hillary Clinton, I think she should drop out of the race and offer her support to Obama.

A joint ticket would be a fabulous way to garner votes but a bad idea overall.

Obama and Clinton would probably not work well together - and that working relationship would be made all the more complicated with Bill at her side, a package deal, so to speak.

So she should support him, but not get on the ticket.

TRISH FREELAND, 50, TEACHER, DIMOCK, SOUTH DAKOTA

I was happy to see Hillary Clinton win here in South Dakota, but it didn't surprise me she lost in Montana.

In fact I have been preparing myself for this moment for about a month-and-a-half now.

I think it was a good idea on her part not to quit the race entirely on Tuesday night.

There are a lot of passionate Clinton supporters out there and it may have been too much for them to hear all the bad news at once.

I think she will make her decision in the next couple of days, and she will probably opt to join the Obama ticket as VP, but it will be difficult for her.

You don't operate at that level of power for that long without having a massive ego, and it must be tough for her to make this decision.

But she must do what's right for the party, because we desperately need to win in November, and if that means Obama, then fine.

I personally have my own fears about a joint ticket, as I think it may be difficult to attract the white conservative, male supporters they need to win.

I think a good alternative VP candidate would be [former South Dakota Senator] Tom Daschle, who has been advising Obama. He may be able to pull in those type of voters.

CATHIE BURKLAND, 44, CIVIL SERVANT, MISSOULA, MONTANA

I proudly voted for Hillary Clinton on Tuesday.

I don't know what is going to happen to her campaign now, but I support her right to take the time to make her decision.

There is no need to rush. The convention is not until August. However, if she intends to carry on and put up a huge fight at the convention, that would not be good for the party.

Overall, she deserved to win as much as Senator Obama, but she went wrong by failing to have a 50-state strategy.

She mainly concentrated on the big states, where she could make up the big numbers and say she won the popular vote, which she continued to do last night.

But she did face unfair criticism from sections of the press throughout the campaign.

I think Obama reached out to her last night in his speech. I would like to see him reach out even further and offer her the vice presidential seat on his ticket.

Her healthcare plan is better than his and she would be a real asset to a joint ticket.

I'd like to see her accept the VP spot in the next two weeks.

GARY DAVIDSON, 65, COMPUTER BUSINESSMAN, DAKOTA DUNES, SOUTH DAKOTA

Although Hillary Clinton won my state of South Dakota, Obama still picked up the delegates he needed in Montana and sealed the nomination.

It took me some time to warm to Obama originally - Edwards was my favourite at the start of the campaign - but I am now fully behind him.

I believe he is the most realistic candidate and that he will represent true change for the better.

I am a Vietnam veteran and I have been truly ashamed of the direction my country has taken over the past seven years, especially on the international stage.

Obama will stop the Iraq war, the use of torture and the childish international posturing of the Bush administration and concentrate on building a better economy for the average American.

I think Hillary Clinton should drop out, go back to the Senate and support Obama.

I really don't think she would add much to the ticket as VP and to be perfectly honest I don't think a joint ticket of a black man and a woman would be able to pull in the marginal, independent and Republican voters needed to win.

I think Chris Dodd or John Edwards would be good choices.

Once Obama and McCain start running against one other, their differences will become apparent and I think the Democrats are heading for a large victory in November.