Al Barth thinks the Paris Republican caucus might be a case of saving the best for last.

His town’s caucus, set for 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 17, at the Paris Town Office, is one of the last of the Republican caucuses to be held in Oxford County.

It wasn’t meant to be that way, he said.

“We had planned to have it on the 3rd, but that was Super Bowl Sunday, then the 10th is the Democratic caucus, so the 17th was next,” he said.

Most Oxford County towns held their Republican caucuses during the weekend of Feb. 1-3. Only a few are holding them later.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was the most popular candidate among Oxford County Republicans during those earlier caucuses.

Regardless of the lateness of the Paris caucus, said Barth, town Republicans will be able to vote their presidential preferences and send a signal to the state delegates and national delegates.

Barth is expecting a large turnout on the 17th, including attendance by several local candidates.

“This is a wide-open race between McCain and Romney. There’s a lot of interest, and people want to get out and speak their piece,” said Barth, a former four-term state legislator who represented the Bethel area in the 1990s before moving to Paris and becoming the town’s Republican chairman.

Waterford is also holding its Republican caucus at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, at the town office. Town GOP Chairman David Marston said the late date was picked so a larger number of local candidates could attend.

“They can’t be in two places at once,” he said.

Several local legislative candidates, as well as representatives from Sen. Susan Collins’ office and Oxford County Commissioner Steve Merrill, are expected.

Marston doubts if Tuesday’s nationwide primary races will have any affect on Waterford’s Republicans.

“We’re pretty independent,” he said.

He, too, is expecting a good turnout, similar to many other towns in the county.

Other late Republican caucuses include Buckfield at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at the town office; and Lovell at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the New Suncook School.

All Democratic caucuses are held on Sunday, Feb. 10, at locations throughout the county.