Election Night 2008
"You Can Vote However You Like"
By KAREN TRAVERS and RIGEL ANDERSON
Nov. 4, 2008—
After all the policy speeches, debates, town hall meetings, rallies, polls, conference calls, bus tours, commercials, web videos, more conference calls, Saturday Night Live sketches, press releases, In Case You Missed Its, and more conference calls, the day has finally arrived.
An election night that has been nearly two years in the making – decades maybe if you go back to the point where both candidates first pondered this moment – and finally the voters have their say.
Below is a handy guide to the evening – poll closing times, Electoral College votes by state, and key congressional and gubernatorial races.
Election 2008 by the numbers:
Money Raised -- Primaries & General Election:
Obama $659.1 million
McCain $233.6 million (McCain accepted public financing)
Money spent -- Primaries & General Election:
Obama $593.1 million
McCain $273.5 million
Number of TV ad airings during the general, from the Campaign Media Analysis Group:
Obama 370,000
McCain 250,000
Events in Battleground States:
Obama: 230
Biden: 107
McCain: 252
Palin: 150
ABC News kicks off Election Night coverage at 6:30pm ET from the Crossroads of the World, Times Square, with a special edition of "World News with Charles Gibson" and continues with election coverage from 7pm ET until at least 2am ET.
On election night, ABC News will transform Times Square into an outdoor global viewing event, with thousands of people watching ABC News coverage of real time election results on three iconic jumbo screens.
ABC NewsNow's coverage tonight will be hosted by Sam Donaldson and Rick Klein and live-streaming on ABCNews.com. Klein, ever the multi-tasker, will be live-blogging while on the air.
Everything else you need for Election Night is right on ABCNews.com: Want more information on the key battleground states? ABCNews' political unit has analyzed the polling data, information and reported from across all 50 states for the last 50 consecutive days. Check out our "50 States in 50 Days" map and dig down into each state to learn more.
A map of presidential results state-by-state and Senate, House and Gubernatorial races.
Want to play pundit? Check out the ABC News.com Electoral College Calculator where you can determine the national landscape and give states to Obama or McCain.
With so much talk about exit polls, find out who voted and why in a sate by state and nationwide breakdown of voting demographics and full exit polls.
Hear from everyday voters about their experiences at the polls today and read about the Ballotwatch team's reporting on these problems with the new Ballotwatch blog here.
7:00 PM ET 58 Electoral votes
PRES Obama McCain
Georgia (15)
SEN Jim Martin- Saxby Chambliss
GA-8 HOUSE Jim Marshall- Rick Goddard
Virginia (13)
SEN Mark Warner- Jim Gilmore
VA-2 HOUSE Glenn Nye- Thelma Drake
VA-5 HOUSE Tom Perriello- Virgil Goode
Indiana (11)
GOV Jill Long Thompson- Mitch Daniels
IN-3 HOUSE Michael Montagano-Mark Souder
Kentucky (8)
SEN Bruce Lunsford- Mitch McConnell
KY-2 HOUSE David Boswell- Brett Guthrie
South Carolina(8)
SEN Bob Conley- Lindsey Graham
Vermont (3)
GOV Gaye Symington- Jim Douglass
7:30 PM ET 40 Electoral Votes
Ohio (20)
OH-1 HOUSE Steve Driehaus- Steve Chabot
OH-15 HOUSE Mary Jo Kilroy- Steve Stivers
OH-16 HOUSE John Boccieri- Kirk Schuring
North Carolina (15)
SEN Kay Hagan- Elizabeth Dole
GOV Bev Perdue- Pat McCrory
NC-8 HOUSE Larry Kissell- Robin Hayes
West Virginia (5)
SEN Jay Rockefeller- Jay Wolfe
GOV Joe Manchin- Russ Weeks
8:00 PM ET 171 Electoral Votes
Florida (27)
FL-21 HOUSE Raul Martinez- Lincoln Diaz-Balart
FL-24 HOUSE Suzanne Kosmas- Tom Feeney
Illinois (21)
SEN Richard Durbin- Steve Sauerberg
IL-10 HOUSE Dan Seals - Mark Kirk
IL-11 HOUSE Debbie Halvorson- Martin Ozinga
Pennsylvania (21)
PA-3 HOUSE Kathy Dahlkemper- Phil English
PA-10 HOUSE Chris Carney- Chris Hackett
PA-11 HOUSE Paul Kanjorski- Lou Barletta
New Jersey (15)
SEN Frank Lautenberg- Dick Zimmer
NJ-3 HOUSE John Adler- Christopher Myers
NJ-7 HOUSE Linda Stender- Leonard Lance
Massachusetts (12)
SEN John Kerry- Jeff Beatty
Missouri (11)
GOV Jay Nixon- Kenny Hulshof
MO-6 HOUSE Kay Barnes- Sam Graves
MO-9 HOUSE Judy Baker- Blaine Luetkemeyer
Tennessee (11)
SEN Bob Tuke- Lamar Alexander
Maryland (10)
MD-1 HOUSE Frank Kratovil- Andrew Harris
Alabama (9)
SEN Vivian Figures- Jeff Sessions
AL-5 HOUSE Parker Griffith- Wayne Parker
AL-2 HOUSE Bobby Bright- Jay Love
Connecticut (7)
CT-4 HOUSE Jim Himes- Christopher Shays
Oklahoma (7)
SEN Andrew Rice- James Inhofe
Mississippi (6)
SEN Erik Fleming- Thad Cochran
SEN Ronnie Musgrove- Roger Wicker
MS-1 HOUSE Travis Childers- Greg Davis
Maine (4)
SEN Tom Allen - Susan Collins
New Hampshire (4)
SEN Shaheen- John Sununu
GOV John Lynch- Joe Kenney
NH-1 HOUSE Carol Shea-Porter- Jeb Bradley
Delaware (3)
SEN Joe Biden- Christine O'Donnell
GOV Jack Markell- William Swain Lee
D.C. (3)
PRES Obama- McCain
8:30 PM ET 6 Electoral Votes
Arkansas (6)
SEN Mark Pryor
9:00 PM ET 159 Electoral Votes
Texas (34)
SEN Rick Noriega- John Cornyn
TX-22 HOUSE Nick Lampson- Pete Olson
New York (31)
NY-13 HOUSE Mike McMahon- Robert Straniere
NY-20 HOUSE Kirsten Gillibrand- Sandy Treadwell
NY-26 HOUSE Alice Kryzan- Christopher Lee
NY-29 HOUSE Eric Massa- Randy Kuhl
Michigan (17)
SEN Carl Levin- Jack Hoogendyk
MI-7 HOUSE Mark Shauer- Tim Walberg
MI-9 HOUSE Gary Peters- Joe Knollenberg
Arizona (10)
PRES Obama- McCain
Minnesota (10)
SEN Al Franken- Norm Coleman
MN-3 HOUSE Ashwin Madia- Erik Paulsen
MN-6 HOUSE Elwyn Tinklenberg- Michele Bachmann
Wisconsin (10)
WI-8 HOUSE Steve Kagen- John Gard
Colorado (9)
SEN Mark Udall- Bob Schaffer
CO-4 HOUSE Betsy Markey- Marilyn Musgrave
Louisiana (9)
SEN Mary Landrieu- John Kennedy
LA-6 HOUSE Don Cazayoux- Bill Cassidy
Kansas (6)
SEN Jim Slattery- Pat Roberts
KS-2 HOUSE Nancy Boyda- Lynn Jenkins
Nebraska (5)
SEN Scott Kleeb- Mike Johanns
NE-2 HOUSE Jim Esch- Lee Terry
New Mexico (5)
SEN Tom Udall- Steve Pearce
NM-1 HOUSE Marty Heinrich- Darren White
NM-2 HOUSE Harry Teague- Ed Tinsley
Rhode Island (4)
SEN Jack Reed- Bob Tingle
North Dakota (3)
GOV Tim Mathern- John Hoeven
South Dakota (3)
SEN Tim Johnson- Joel Dykstra
Wyoming (3)
SEN Christopher Rothfuss- Michael Enzi
SEN Nick Carter- John Barrasso
10:00 PM ET 20 Electoral Votes
Iowa (7)
SEN Tom Harkin- Christopher Reed
Nevada (5)
NV-3 HOUSE Dina Titus- Jon Porter
Utah (5)
GOV Bob Springmeyer- Jon Huntsman
Montana (3)
SEN Max Baucus- Bob Kelleher
GOV Brian Schweitzer- Roy Brown
11:00 PM ET 81 Electoral Votes
California (55)
CA-11 HOUSE Jerry McNerney- Dean Andal
CA-50 HOUSE Nick Leibham- Brian Bilbray
Washington (11)
GOV Christine Gregoire- Dino Rossi
WA-8 HOUSE Darcy Burner- Dave Reichert
Oregon (7)
SEN Jeff Merkley- Gordon Smith
Hawaii (4)
PRES Obama- McCain
Idaho (4)
SEN Larry LaRocco- Jim Risch
ID-1 HOUSE Walter Minnick- Bill Sali
1:00 AM ET 3 Electoral Votes
Alaska (3)
SEN Mark Begich- Ted Stevens
AK-AL HOUSE Ethan Berkowitz- Don Young
POLITICAL NEWS STORIES ON ABCNEWS.COM
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: Guide to Election Night: Six Early States to Watch LINK
ABC News' Kate Barrett: Race Boils Down to Battlegrounds LINK
ABC News' Susan Donaldson James: Historic Election 2008: For the Record Books LINK
ABC News' Emily Friedman: Democrats Vie for Filibuster-Proof Senate LINK
ABC News' Matt Jaffe: Biden Greets Virginia Voters on Election Day LINK
ABC News' Andy Fies: Small Moments Writ Large LINK
ABC News' Andy Fies: Irony in Geography LINK
ABC News' Matt Jaffe: Biden Casts His Ballot in Wilmington LINK
ABC News' Matt Jaffe: Phils fan Biden rallies City of Brotherly Love LINK
ABC News' Imtiyaz Delawala: Palin's Family Physician Says She's in "Excellent Health" LINK
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: Turnout LINK
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos: Key Moments LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper: Rove Calls it for Obama: 338-200 Electoral Blowout LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper: Among the Other Voters LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper and Matt Jaffe: Oh, That Joe! (No. 46 in a Series) -- Gaffes? What Gaffes? LINK
ABC News' Jake Tapper: All Eyes Turn to Coos County LINK
POLITICAL VIDEO ON ABCNEWS.COM
Voters Get Excited and Emotional
For some people, Election Day goes beyond just casting a ballot. LINK
Election Day Is Under Way
Long voting lines are reported in the swing states of Ohio and Virginia. LINK
McCain Casts His Vote
The senator and his wife vote at Albright United Methodist church in Phoenix. LINK
Obama Casts His Vote
The senator and his wife vote at Chicago's Shoesmith Elementary School. LINK
Obama Demands College Football Playoffs
Democratic candidate speaks with ESPN's Chris Berman on "Monday Night Football." LINK
McCain Says He Can Go, All, the, Way
Republican candidate speaks with ESPN's Chris Berman on "Monday Night Football." LINK
Hasselbeck Still Angry About Rev. Wright
"View" co-host continues to blast Obama for past ties with his ex-pastor. LINK
'View' Is Sick of Voting Problems
The ladies wonder why the election process never seems to run smoothly. LINK
Kimmel: Bush Gets the Boot
Jimmy shows a bogus ad giving McCain and Obama something to agree on. LINK
Kimmel: Obama Attacks Sagging Pants
The senator takes on the issue of ill-fitting clothes during an MTV interview. LINK
Young Muslim Voters
The Muslim community at Syracuse University weighs in on the U.S. election. LINK
Political Dream Team Breaks It Down
Cokie Roberts, Matt Dowd and Juan Williams discuss the election. LINK
What Else Is on the Ballot?
Voters in several states weigh in on some controversial ballot questions. LINK
Frank Luntz Tracks the Voters
The veteran pollster uses Squiggle technology to help analyze voter reactions. LINK
What Your Vote Means
Voters explain in three words what voting means to them. LINK
Campaigning in the 11th Hour
John McCain makes his final pitch to American voters. LINK
David Plouffe on Barack Obama
Obama's campaign manager makes a final pitch for the Democratic candidate. LINK
Candidates Fire Up Voters
Obama, Biden, McCain and Palin address crowds in the final hours of campaigning. LINK
Sen. Stevens Asks for Alaskans' Vote
GOP Sen.: "My Future is in God's hands. Alaska's future is in yours." LINK
Dole Ad: 'Promises'
Dole ad suggests Kay Hagan received money from the "Godless Americans" PAC. LINK
Final Push to Get Out the Vote
Campaigns create last-minute recruiting frenzy in battleground states. LINK
Jake Tapper on the Last-Minute Rush
A look at the final moments of the Obama and McCain campaigns. LINK
The Bottom Line on Election Day
George Stephanopoulos discusses the last leg in the race to the White House. LINK
Plunging to the Polls
Texas man hands out "Joe the Plumber" plungers to McCain supporters. LINK
The Business of Calif. Propositions
A look at who is sponsoring which ballot initiatives and with how much money. LINK