LIVE UPDATES: Last Day of 2012 Campaign

By ABC News November 5, 2012

Image Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Photo

Tomorrow night (in theory) we will know who the president will be for the next four years. In the meantime, early votes are pouring in, and the candidates are still stumping away.

Obama and Romney are hitting the battleground states one last time, with rallies in New Hampshire, Iowa, Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and Virginia.

Paul Ryan is winning the marathon man award, hitting 5 states in one day today.

Tune in to ABCNews.com on Tuesday, Nov. 6 for livestreaming coverage of Election 2012. Our Election Day show kicks off at noon, and the Election Night event begins at 7 p.m.

For some context on how tomorrow might go, take a look back at where we were at this point in the 2008 election. Read that piece here.

Refresh this page throughout the day and night for sights, sounds and analysis from the second-to-last day on the campaign trail.

6:11 p.m. ET - What if Washington Legalizes Pot?

ABC's Chris Good says a win for marijuana advocates in Washington state could be on the horizon, but victory for pro-pot advocates would put the state into conflict with the federal government.

How would a President Romney or Obama respond in that situation? It's hard to say.

Read more on the reefer madness from Chris Good.

5:46 p.m. ET - Ryan Snags Cinnamon Roll in Colorado

Image Credit: Pool Photo

ABC News' Shushannah Walshe reports from Johnstown, Colo.:

Paul Ryan stopped by a truck stop diner called Johnson's Corner famous for their cinnamon rolls before going outside for a rally here, his last in Colorado.

He met a priest and took his rosary out of his pocket to get blessed. He was also asked how he's feeling about tomorrow.

"I feel very good," Ryan said.

5:00 p.m. ET - In ABC/Washington Post Poll Obama Takes the Lead by More than 1 Point for First Time

Sure it's a slight advantage, but for the first time, a candidate has pulled ahead by more than one point in an ABC News/Washington Post poll.

ABC Pollster Gary Langer reports:

Barack Obama has inched to a slim advantage in the closing days of the 2012 presidential race, breaking out of a long-running deadlock with Mitt Romney to a 50-47 percent contest in the final-weekend tracking poll by ABC News and The Washington Post.

While still lacking a majority in vote preference, Obama has reached 51 percent job approval, matching his best this year; extended his advantage in better understanding Americans' economic problems; and moved to within a single point of Romney in trust to handle the economy, reversing a 9-point Romney lead on the central issue of the campaign.

Read more from Gary Langer here.

4:34 p.m. ET - Melissa Joan Harts Romney

Former child-star, current television actress Melissa Joan Hart announced her support for the Republican presidential ticket via Twitter this afternoon.

The star of ABC Family's Melissa & Joey also asked her followers to finish this sentence: "Being a republican in Hollywood is like being…" Here's a sampling of the replies:

  • @youseless: "…a two dollar bill in a Nordstroms. Rare, but acceptable."
  • @Jimmiebjr: "…a wolf in a place that really, really, really doesn't like wolves very much."
  • @observantturtle: "A Democrat in Texas? haha. 'Cause I am, and it's tough!"

4:25 p.m. ET - 99 Problems

4:18 p.m. ET - An Election to Remember

4:06 p.m. ET - Howdy, Neighbor! ABC's Emily Friedman reports that Ann Romney, while speaking to a roaring crowd in Fairfax, Va., and shouted, "Are we going to be neighbors soon???"

3:57 p.m. ET - Today in Pictures From the AP: Peruvian shamans bless President Barack Obama using a poster of him during a ritual to predict the winner of the U.S. presidential election in Lima, Peru, Nov. 5, 2012. The shamans routinely predict outcomes for elections and sporting events, and on Monday predicted Obama will win. See that and other great photos from today here. 3:50 p.m. ET - Tiny New Hampshire's Strong Election Impact

Image Credit: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images

In a testament to just how important New Hampshire has become to the candidates, both President Obama and Mitt Romney are using the final days of the presidential campaign to squeeze in last-minute campaign stops there. Read more from ABC's Troy McMullen here. 3:44 p.m. ET - President Obama Today

Mark Hirsch/Getty Images

PHOTO: President Barack Obama waves to supporters during a campaign rally, in Madison, Wis. 3:21 p.m. ET - Mitt Adds Election Day Events Mitt Romney has been chanting "one more day" all day today on the stump, but as it turns out, he will campaign for yet another day, Tuesday, Election Day. Read more from ABC's Emily Friedman here. 2:56 p.m. ET - Paul Ryan's Final Nevada Push to 'Leave It All on the Field' ABC's Shushannah Walshe reports from Reno, Nev.: Ryan began his final day on the campaign trail today with a stop here before he holds four other events, stopping in each of the time zones in the United States for his final push, calling the whirlwind sprint a "barn burner." "Are you going to help us win this thing, Nevada?" Ryan asked several hundred people in an airplane hangar. "We're doing a barn burner today. We are crisscrossing the country, Mitt and I are, because we are asking you to work with us, to stand with us to get our country back on the right track." The GOP vice presidential nominee led the crowd in a chant of "one more day" and told Nevadans they are "in this together" and to keep pushing just a little bit longer. "You've got to talk to your friends, you've got to talk to your neighbors and, even in this election, you have to talk to those distant relatives you haven't talked to in a long time," Ryan said with a smile. "Nevada, we are counting on you. … Let's just run through the tape, let's leave it all on the field." Read more from Shush Walshe here.

2:20 p.m. ET - Obama: 'It's Always Good to Ignore Donald Trump'

ABC's Devin Dwyer reports:

In a radio interview this morning with Pedro por la Mana of "El Zol" 107.9, President Obama was asked what he thought of Donald Trump's stunt two weeks ago, offering to make a $5 million to charity if Obama released his academic records.

"So did you choose to ignore him?" Pedro asked.

"Well, it's always good to ignore Donald Trump. I think it's always a good rule," Obama replied.

Obama conducted the lighter morning-show interview as part of a final push to mobilize Latino voters ahead of Tuesday's vote. He said a big turnout from among America's fastest-growing minority voting bloc would sent an unmistakable signal to lawmakers in Washington.

"If the Latino vote is strong it does two things," Obama said. "Number one, we win the election. Number two, it will also send a message to both the Democratic and Republican parties that the Latino community has to be respected and that issues that are important like health care and education and immigration reform and small business - all those issues have to be addressed.

"I think it will really be a sign of the Latino community's coming of age politically," he said.

2:17 p.m. ET - Biden is 'Feelin Good' about the Election

ABC's Arlette Saenz reports from Sterling, Va.:

Vice President Joe Biden told reporters Monday that he was feeling optimistic about tomorrow's election and joked that the election is "all over but the shouting."

"I'm feeling good. I really am but you know, as an old expression goes it's all over but the shouting," Biden told reporters during a stop at Mimi's Café here. "But it feels good though, feels good. You've been with me long enough to know that I'm always optimistic, but I really do feel good, the response have been great so so far so good."

Asked if he think it's going to be an electoral college blowout Tuesday night, Biden said, "I think we're going to win."

Read more from Arlette Saenz here.

2:16 p.m. ET - How to 'Unpolitic' Your Social Media Feeds

Want to de-politify your social media? Are your friends' political 'likes' and tweets TMI? Here's a guide from ABC's Joanna Stern on cleansing your stream.

2:15 p.m. ET - The Early Vote

ABC's Elizabeth Hartfield reports on the third of American voters who have already voted:

This weekend marked the end of in-person early voting in the majority of key battleground states. Early voting sites remain open in the key Midwestern states of Iowa and Ohio, as well as in a handful of counties in Florida.

But the doors have closed for early in-person voters in Colorado, Nevada, Virginia, Wisconsin and most of Florida, although not without some drama in the Sunshine state.

More than 29.8 million ballots have already been cast via early and absentee voting, with the early vote expected to make up about 35 percent of the total votes cast, an increase from 2008, when 30 percent of the total vote was cast before Election Day.

The uptick in the percentage of votes cast before Election Day continues with recent trends: early voting has increased in popularity for the past two decades, as more states have begun to make the option available. But voting expert Michael McDonald notes that early voting might be a large share of the overall vote this year as a result of Superstorm Sandy.

Read more here.

2:10 p.m. ET - Political Video from GMA

Election 2012: Both Romney, Obama Campaigns Believe They'll Win (from ABC's Matthew Dowd and Nicolle Wallace)

Election 2012: President Obama Makes Closing Arguments

Election 2012: Will Mitt Romney Upset President Obama?

2:05 p.m. ET - Infographic: The Signs of 2012

What points to an Obama victory? What looks good for Romney?

From the state of the economy to the Redskins loss to the Carolina Panthers at home Sunday. Click on the image below for a full rundown:

1:50 p.m. ET - Dog 'n Pony Show

1:45 p.m. ET - The Political Science Experiment that is Ohio 2012, Our Political Punch Digital show http://abcn.ws/SHSBlH

Jake Tapper reports: President Obama has visited Ohio more than 20 times this year alone. To ensure a smooth electoral college victory, the Buckeye State is a must-win for the president. As for GOP candidate Mitt Romney - no Republican has won the White House without Ohio.

This election cycle, Ohio has been like its own political science experiment, one where Ohioans are subjected to an endless loop of political ads. Voters here have been pummeled by more ads than any other state in the country - more than 205,000 during the general election campaign alone. The majority of those ads have been pro-Obama; 16,000 more ads in Ohio have backed the president over Romney and Republicans.

"We don't watch TV anymore. I'm sorry we mute you all … during the commercials," says Paul Kostyu, reporter for the Cincinnati Enquirer.

With a struggling economy, and voters worried about the direction of the country and wary of the president's economic performance, Romney still has a chance in Ohio. But the president will not give up without a fight.

For more on how the candidates are carving out their slices of the Ohio map, including ABC's Jake Tapper literally drawing Ohio in the sand, and early numbers that could call it for Romney, check out this week's Political Punch.

1:41 p.m. ET - Election Could Result in Little Change

Here's something people could very realistically be saying come Wednesday: "Americans went through this whole election and all they got was pretty much the exact same government."

Read more analysis ABC's Amy Walter and Michael Falcone here.

1:37 p.m. ET - Get in the Game - Make Your Own Map

Curious about what combination of victories and losses could spell a win for one candidate or another? With ABC's election map, you can design your own voting results. Try it out here:

1:17 p.m. ET - More Evidence Of Changing Demographics: For First Time, House Democratic Caucus Won't Be Majority White Male

From the Cook Political Report's David Wasserman:

For the first time ever, white men will no longer be the majority of the Democratic caucus. In 1953, white men were 98 percent of House Democrats and 97 percent of House Republicans. Today, white men are down to 53 percent of Democrats and 86 percent of Republicans. In 2013, for the first time, white men will be a minority of the Democratic caucus as Blue Dogs (predominantly white men) exit and women and minority candidates claim more diverse, newly drawn districts.

Democrats will certainly celebrate this milestone, but it doesn't necessarily bring them closer to a House majority. In fact, it's in part a byproduct of Republicans packing Democratic voters into the kinds of minority-majority seats most likely to elect minority members. Although Republicans are making progress - their 2010 freshman class included five Latinos and two African-Americans and in 2012 African-American Mia Love could join their ranks - they have a long way to go to diversify their leadership and their image.

These live updates are curated by ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf and Sarah Parnass