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Polls Open In Five More States; Paul Ryan Casts His Ballot; Biden Votes In Delaware; View From The Battleground States; Watching Potential Voting Pitfalls; Florida Voting Challenged; Making Their Final Arguments; Election One For The History Books; Governing a Divided Country; Senate Control Hanging on Key Races; Senate Control Hanging on Key Races; Sandy's Impact on Election Day

Aired November 06, 2012 - 10:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right now, it's up to the voters, and America is waiting for the verdict. Will it be Barack Obama?

BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: We know what we want to do works. We know what they want to do doesn't work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Or Mitt Romney?

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE: He's offering excuses. I've got a plan.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This presidential contest could be a squeaker until the end.

ROMNEY: We're going to win with your help.

OBAMA: We'll win this election.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're live across the country in the swing states where this fight has been playing out for months.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hope and change has become anger, frustration, divide and conquer.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is CNN's coverage of Election Day in America, the fight for the presidency, the battle for Congress and the issues dividing the nation.

OBAMA: I still believe in you, and if you still believe in me, I'm asking for your vote.

ROMNEY: I need you to go out there and find people that will come join our cause.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's your vote, your future, your country, your choice.

(END VIDEOTAPE) SUZANNE MALVEAUX, CNN ANCHOR: A long, hard fought, and costly presidential campaign comes to an end as voters going to the polls. I'm Suzanne Malveaux. This is CNN's special coverage of Election Day here in America.

Polls opening this hour in five more states, Alaska, California, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington. The election will determine whether President Obama gets another four years in office or whether Mitt Romney becomes the nation's 45th president.

Both candidates spending the final hours of the campaign hitting crucial battleground states in a mad dash to rev up supporters. Today, the voters get to have their say.

Polls have been open about four hours in the battleground state of Virginia. They're also open in the swing states of Florida, Ohio, and Colorado.

CNN is covering Election Day like no one else can with reporters in all the key states as well as insight from our political analysts.

It is time to vote for the candidates as well, except for President Obama, he voted early. Just a few moments ago, we saw Janesville, Wisconsin, Republican VP candidate Paul Ryan casting his ballot there giving out hugs. He also now heads to campaign stops in Ohio as well as Virginia.

Mitt Romney and his wife, Ann, voted today in their Massachusetts hometown. You see the pictures there. Romney campaigning also today in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Vice President Joe Biden voted earlier today. That is in Delaware, gave an intriguing answer when asked if this was his final vote for himself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Any prediction for tonight?

JOE BIDEN, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I'm feeling pretty good.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Last time you're going to vote for yourself do you think?

BIDEN: No, I don't think so.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: Interesting. Maybe that's 2016. We'll see. A handful of states are going to likely determine who is winning the White House. Right now, we are going to take you to some of the most hotly contested races.

I want to begin with Ashleigh Banfield who is in the battleground state of Florida. Ashleigh, set the scene. ASHLEIGH BANFIELD, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sunny, beautiful, 29 electoral votes, Florida. You would think waiting three hours in line to cast your ballot would make you a little bit ornery. Instead, I got these guys --

OK, I got to be honest with you. I don't think I have ever seen a ballot line like this. These people are hilarious. They're all new friends because they met at 7:00 a.m. and it's now 10:00 a.m. and there is where they're headed.

They are probably 10 minutes away and that is the key issue they're going to have to fill out about nine pages so they can expect about, I don't know, 10 or 20 minutes inside the polling station, but so far only a few irregularities around Florida and certainly nothing huge and certainly a good mood here.

MALVEAUX: All right, can't beat that enthusiasm. Thank you, Ashleigh. I want to go to Randi Kaye. She is in Woodbridge, Virginia outside of Washington. Virginia, of course, another one of the tossup states. How is it looking where you are, Randi?

RANDI KAYE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, we're not seeing the same enthusiasm as Ashleigh is finding there in Florida, but folks have a pretty good attitude, 13 electoral votes up for grabs. They're waiting in line here in Prince William County for about two hours.

But they say, you know what, it's their duty to vote and they don't mind waiting. Here in this county, it is really all about the economy, which is doing pretty well, 5.2 percent unemployment here, so pretty robust, but not everybody is thrilled about the economy.

A lot of folks also not thrilled about health care. I got an earful from a gentleman a short time ago about not wanting to buy something that he doesn't want to buy, doesn't like that mandate.

I talked to one government worker who says that he has two kids in college and he's not thrilled about the direction of the economy. We're also, of course, watching, Suzanne, the Senate race here. It's a marquee race, one of the most expensive in the country.

Could help tip the balance of power in the Senate and the polls close here at 7:00 a.m., early. Now, President Obama won this county, Prince William County, back in 2008.

A lot of folks are already saying what happens at 7:00 p.m. once those votes are counted, which should be pretty quickly, I'm told. We will get a pretty good indication of how this night is going to go -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: Going to watch really closely. Colorado, another battleground, Ed Lavandera outside of Denver there, in Lakewood, Colorado. What is it looking like, Ed?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Suzanne. Well, kind of a different scene here in Lakewood, Colorado, where many of the people in this state vote early. You can vote by mail here in Colorado and a great number of people take advantage of that.

In fact, the latest numbers from the Secretary of State's office here in Colorado show that some that 1.8 million people have voted early and through the mail. So that makes the lines to get into these polling places on Election Day a lot easier to navigate.

We are in Jefferson County, which is a western suburb of Denver. You might as well call this the battleground within the battleground of Colorado. The Obama campaigns and Romney campaigns will be looking very closely at how the votes shake out here in this county.

Many people say as Jefferson County votes, so votes Colorado. But this is a county made up equal parts Republican, Democrat, and independent swing voters. That's why those campaigns will be taking a close look at how those independent voters turn out today.

And we're told here by the elections officials that by around 7:30 Mountain Time, 9:30 the vast majority of the votes will have been counted. We'll have a good idea of who might be able to win Colorado tonight.

MALVEAUX: All right, we like those early results. Thank you. Want to bring in David Mattingly. He is in Bedford, New Hampshire just outside Manchester. David, long lines, enthusiasm? What are you seeing so far?

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, Suzanne, New Hampshire could be the most sharply divided of all the battleground states. Way too close to call. The story here today, I just spoke to the Secretary of State's office, and this is what we're seeing all over the state, very large turnout here in the Granite State.

Also, notice this table here. These are people who are registering to vote today so that they can vote today. They're allowed to do that here in New Hampshire. They don't have any early voting. So this is the day.

Of course, everyone is going to be watching about what happens inside these polling stations because there are a very small number of undecided voters that have been showing up in the polls.

Nobody knows how they're going to vote. The way they swing could swing this swing state to one of those candidates. We'll see what happens.

MALVEAUX: All right, thank you, David. So with the voting in full swing, as he mentioned, we're tracking all potential problems as well.

Want to start with New York and New Jersey where dozens and dozens of polling stations not even going to be open today. They were badly damaged in last week's storm.

Ali Velshi is joining us from CNN's Vote Watch Desk. Ali, you and I got a lot of stuff to talk about here. I imagine this is going to go on all day, perhaps well into the night and tomorrow as well.

ALI VELSHI, CNN CHIEF BUSINESS CORRESPONDENT: Yes.

MALVEAUX: First of all, how are folks actually monitoring how they get these voters to the polls and then we'll talk about some of the problems.

VELSHI: Well, we've actually got issues about that, where monitors are allowed to be from the different parties. We're working on a story in Philadelphia about that. We'll get you more on that later.

But ultimately what's happen something people are going to some of the polling stations and some machines are down or in the case of New York, they're casting their ballots in polling places that are not their own.

The governor of New York, Cuomo, has said you can go to any polling station in the state and cast your ballot, but you will only be able to vote for president and statewide ballot initiatives or statewide office.

You won't be able to cast a ballot for your local races. That's what's happening in New York. We're getting a lot of input from people, tweets, phone calls, and techs from people saying that are very, very long line ups and sadly some people are leaving.

That's something we're seeing in Ohio. We're seeing it in Virginia. We're seeing it in Florida, and the northeast.

MALVEAUX: Let's talk about Florida because I imagine voters are pretty frustrated there. They used to have 14 days before the election to actually vote. Governor Scott changed that to now eight days. How is it impacting what you're seeing on the ground today?

VELSHI: Well, for those eight days that they did allow advance voting, there were very long line ups culminating yesterday with some people waiting seven or eight hours in line.

As soon as voting opened, particularly in the southern counties in Florida, those big ones, the big highly populated ones that carry a third of the population around Miami, Palm Beach, those areas, we're seeing long line ups this morning.

That's causing people to turn away. There are Democrats who are saying that is disenfranchising some of their supporters who are working people who need to get to work who can't stand in line for several hours. We saw an appeal by Michelle Obama late last night to say if you're in a line, stay in the line. We need your votes.

But there's definitely going to be an argument about that depending on the way that state ends up going and what happens at the end of the day. Not just in Florida, but in other states when the polling places are about to close.

People went after work and they're hours and hours in line to be able to vote. We're keeping a close eye on Florida and hoping it will not hold up the results of the presidential election. MALVEAUX: Ali, talk about Ohio as well. I understand that the role of provisional ballots is very important and it could actually factor into who wins, but many of these provisional ballots get thrown out. Can you explain what actually happens?

VELSHI: So provisional, this is one area of great confusion. What happened is last week the state -- the Secretary of State put in a rule that if you vote on a provisional ballot because you got a mail- in ballot and you lost it or you've moved or you're not correctly on the roles, or you don't have adequate identification, there's a separate form you have to fill out.

We've looked at the form. The criticism is the form is too complicated. I have to tell you, Suzanne. I think there would have been an easier way to establish identity than using this form, but the trick is it used to be the person who worked at the poll would fill out the form.

Now it's on the voter and if it's not filled out correctly, your ballot won't be counted. Now these provisional ballots will not be counted initially and if it's not a close race it won't matter. They get counted 10 days later and many do get thrown out anyway.

So if Ohio is a tight, tight, tight race, this may actually matter, and there are cases under way right now, in fact, there's a hearing under way now, to determine the validity of the decision by the Secretary of State on provisional ballots.

But a lot of people have tweeted saying why are you talking about provisional ballots, they don't get counted as votes, that's not true. They are votes.

MALVEAUX: All right, I want to bring our senior legal analyst, Jeffrey Toobin, to talk more about Ohio and what Ali was talking about, the way they're counting these provisional ballots. Could we see if this is a very, very tight race these provisional ballots actually making a difference and tipping the scale?

JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN SENIOR LEGAL ANALYST: It's entirely possible. Four years ago, there were more than 200,000 provisional ballots. We expect that there will be at least that many this time. The margin between John McCain and Barack Obama four years ago was 262,000 votes. So that shows how many votes are at stake there.

Now, it is true, as Ali pointed out, that not all those votes count. Certainly they don't come in all for one candidate. But the peculiar, peculiar aspect of Ohio law is that no one starts counting those ballots for 10 days.

And during those 10 days the people who cast those ballots can actually go to the Board of Elections and sort of make their case, lobby to say that their vote should count, that they have good identification.

Can you imagine the chaos if all those would-be voters essentially bring a lawyer to have their vote counted and certainly the campaigns will get involve, it could get very ugly, very complicated, and it's 10 days long.

MALVEAUX: And Jeffrey, we're already seeing both sides lawyering up pretty heavily in some of the swing states. It was back in 2000. I was at West Palm Beach covering the Florida recount in 2000, and you saw again hanging chads, the butterfly ballots. This is going to be potentially a very, very close race. Could we see a repeat of 2000?

TOOBIN: Well, certainly you could see recounts. Fortunately, the one thing we will not see is butterfly ballots and chads in Florida. Florida has changed their voting system. They no longer use punch card ballots.

They have a better system in place, although every voting system has its problems. Every voting system is subject to recounts and you can be sure that if it's just a handful of voters.

That separates the two candidates in a state whose electoral votes make the difference. We'll be back to the same kind of trench warfare but it won't be exactly the same. No more chads.

MALVEAUX: All right, no more hanging chads. That's a relief, but we might be engaged in trench warfare, you're right about that. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Remember, CNN's special live election coverage beginning tonight at 6:00 Eastern.

The two men seeking the oval office make their final push to get out the vote.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

OBAMA: We've made real progress these past four years. We're not done yet on this journey. Let's go vote! Let's keep moving forward!

ROMNEY: We're one day away from a fresh start, one day away from the first day of a new beginning. With the right leadership, America is going to come roaring back.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: We're going to hear their final arguments and talk about the end game in the most expensive election in American history.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: As millions of Americans going to the polls, campaigns are still making their final arguments. Overnight President Obama was greeted by First Lady Michelle Obama at his final stop in Iowa after stumping in several battleground states.

Now Mitt Romney, he was in four battleground states including Virginia hoping to capture its 13 electoral votes, very important. Romney even added two events today, one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania.

We got experts here to make their final closing arguments. Republican Mary Matalin, deputy campaign manager for President George H.W. Bush's re-election campaign and Democrat, Donna Brazile, Al Gore's campaign manager in the 2000 presidential race.

Good to see you, both here. Donna, I want to start with you here. So many millions of Americans, they've already voted on either side. Can either one of these candidates really make an impact today?

DONNA BRAZILE, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Absolutely. Look, I know we've banked a lot of early votes, and that's the whole objective so that there's less confusion in terms of the number of people who are going to be standing in line today.

And I just want to say something as somebody who understands getting out the vote. If you're in line before the polls close, the law stipulates that you have the right to vote. It may take time, but, remember, it's important that you have the right to vote.

Also want to urge everyone to bring the proper form of I.D., even if you have to bring a utility bill, bring a utility bill to establish your residency, bring your photo identification, bring your voter registration card and bring something fun to do while you stand in line.

Mary and I would bring something cold, of course, or something warm also, but remember this is a day that we celebrate our democracy, and that is the lifeblood of our democracy, voting is. So I urge everybody, please get out there and vote. It can make a difference.

MALVEAUX: Mary, Donna is still giving tips here. I guess we're going to want your tips as well. We don't have to serve beverages. It's OK, but explain to us Romney's decision to campaign again today in Iowa and Pennsylvania. There are some people who look at that and think maybe it's an act of desperation, others who are thinking this is good politics.

MARY MATALIN, CNN POLITICAL CONTRIBUTOR: Yes, it is. It's bringing home states that should not even be in play for the governor. This is -- Donna and I have done eight or nine or ten, we've lost track. There are only two things you can do on Election Day.

You can continue campaigning, I have never not campaigned, or you can drink heavily, which is also something Donna and I have done on Election Day. So what are you going to do? Sit around and -- I think going to Iowa, going to Pennsylvania, I'm going to predict the governor is going to win both of those states.

They have significant populations of Catholics. He's getting suburban and married women. He's getting independents there. Those states are ones that President Obama won last time around. They should not be in play. I'm proud of the governor for taking it to the finish line.

MALVEAUX: All right --

BRAZILE: Hail Mary, Hail Mary, that's a Hail Mary.

MALVEAUX: We will wait until the decision has been made before the drinks are flowing. How is that? We'll agree --

BRAZILE: We're just talking about hydrating. This is water. We've got to keep ourselves hydrated.

MALVEAUX: Let's talk about the tone from the candidates we saw last night. The president pretty emotional on the stump speech and then you saw Mitt Romney really kind of -- still in kind of fighting mode here. I want you to watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROMNEY: Talk is cheap, but a record is real and it's earned. Change can't be measured in speeches. It's measured in results.

OBAMA: I've come back to Iowa one more time to ask for your vote. I came back to ask you to help us finish what we've started because this is where our movement for change began.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MALVEAUX: All right, to you, Donna, I want to bring this up here because it does seem like folks look at this as a historic occasion that perhaps not as historic as 2008.

But you had Reverend Jesse Jackson saying if President Obama were to lose, it would be like turning back the clock on all the gains of the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King's dream. Do you see it like that? Is it laid with that much symbolism?

BRAZILE: Well, look, four years ago we made history. The United States of America made history in electing the first biracial president ever in the history of the United States, and it was a very, you know, occasion that many of us were emotional.

But today we can make a difference, and this is where I believe getting out the vote matters because we can make a difference in the kind of health care policies we want, the kind of job creation policies we want, tax policies, environmental policies, especially with all of this talk about climate change.

This is a day that we can say to our troops in Afghanistan, you're coming home soon. We're going to leave -- we're going to bring you back home. So, yes, this is the year we make a difference. We made history in 2008. Let's go out there today and make a difference over the next four years.

MALVEAUX: We are actually learning, Donna, that the president is going to make an unscheduled stop in one of his field offices in Chicago obviously to thank the volunteers there and to show his support.

Mary, I do want to ask you about one thing here, it's come up several times. It really is about how this country is changing demographically, racially, and with the Obama campaign, there's a coalition there that you have of women, of Hispanics, of young voters, and we heard this from South Carolina's Republican Senator Lindsay Graham.

He says the demographics race we are losing badly. We're not generating enough angry white guys to stay in business for the long term. Is there a problem in the Republican Party? Does your party need to do more to bring in a diverse group of Americans if that coalition in that party is going to last?

MATALIN: The only angry white men I know are liberals. Conservatives are for all Americans.

BRAZILE: You're married to one.

MATALIN: There you go. They're not for hyphenating Americans or dividing Americans. We think women and Hispanics and African- Americans have suffered particularly under this non-recovery, the worst recovery in history. And that women and Hispanics and African- Americans and all Americans want an opportunity to have some upward mobility.

MALVEAUX: Is there more the party needs to do to outreach to those folks because it seems it's becoming more and more monolithic.

MATALIN: The presumption that -- speaking of Martin Luther King, Dr. King, that you would divide people up by race, gender, or class is distinctly un-American. It's insulting.

I think what Jesse Jackson said was race is divisive and dark and I would hope -- would have hoped that the election of the first minority president in a western democracy would have shown that americans are past it, but I guess not for Reverend Jackson.

MALVEAUX: We've got to leave it there. Mary and Donna, we'll all be up real late, so save your energy, save your drinks for later, and we'll see how it all shakes out. Thanks again.

BRAZILE: Keep hope alive, Mary. Keep hope alive.

MALVEAUX: All right, Mitt Romney hasn't talked much about his faith, but if he wins, he is actually going to be the first Mormon in the White House. We're looking at more of the history that could be made in this presidential race.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: Today's election destined to be one for the history books no matter the outcome. The nation's first African-American president wins re-election or ends his term. We're looking at historic divisions now in our country.

We're talking about party divisions. We're talking about the racial divide, the gender split. Joining us to talk about all of this, presidential historian, Douglas Brinkley and CNN's senior political analyst, David Gergen.

Thanks to both of you. Douglas, I want to start off with you. Let's fast forward 10 years, what do you think we will remember about this election night? How do you think this is going to play out historically?

DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, PRESIDENTIAL HISTORIAN: Well, first of, I think for 2012 people are going to be astounded at the billions of dollars that just went into this election. How terminal it seemed. It seems like we've been election mode for two years.

And then, of course, the Barack Obama's missed opportunity in Denver that first debate and how Hurricane Sandy seemed to give a little lift to the president ironically as the October surprise.

As for this election night itself, it seems to me it's going to be a repeat of 2000 and 2004, down to the wire, very close, and all about a handful of swing states, Florida and Ohio are going to be in the news a lot tonight, just like they were in those two previous elections.

MALVEAUX: We've got a lot to look forward to tonight. David, let's talk about the divisions in the country right now because you got a lot of them. We're talking about the gender gap.

The latest poll showing 53 percent of women say they plan to vote for the president compared to 44 percent of men. That's a nine-point gender gap, the largest since '96.

There's also racial and economic divisions as well. Romney leading among white voters, those making more than $50,000 a year. The president leading among voters making less than 50 grand.

What do you think this says about the road ahead? Whoever wins the White House that you have such a divided country?

DAVID GERGEN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: I'm worried that it says we've become a fragmented country, not only divided but fragmented and that means that, you know, we have a white/black division. We have a generational division. You know, we have minorities versus white.

We have an economic or inequality division. They are all sorts of divisions. I think the real question history will pose is whether this election resolved anything or not, whether we were able to -- whether coming out of this election we were able to break the deadlock in Washington to end the dysfunctionality and actually move toward a more productive politics.

Obviously, this election could resolve what road we take. Do we take a road for a toward liberal state, caring and providing a big safety net, but is more expensive or a leaner government with more emphasis on the private side.

I don't think we know the answers to those questions this morning because we don't know who is going to win. But I do think this fragmentation is a serious threat to the country. And we've got to move our politics beyond it. It's important that both parties be inclusive. And not only embrace the minorities and but also the age groups and that sort of things because I think this kind of divide, you know, is a -- is an unhealthy divide.

MALVEAUX: Yes I mean, it's a very important issue, whether or not either one of these men is going to really effectively be able to govern if he wins, govern in this country.

Douglas, I want to go back to you to show just how tight we think this race is. We're looking at a dead heat tied at 49 percent. Putting it into perspective for us of some other close races we've seen, Kennedy winning the popular vote over Nixon by 17, 100ths of a point and of course Bush-Gore race ending before the Supreme Court.

How does this compare to what we've seen in the past?

BRINKLEY: Well we'll see, but, you know, remember, let's just say Bush versus Gore, a lot of Democrats, because Al Gore won the popular vote, didn't take George W. Bush seriously. They wouldn't accept him as their president. If that happens tonight where you have, you know, Barack Obama winning the electoral vote but Mitt Romney winning the popular vote, it's only going to make the right angrier about Barack Obama as being an illegitimate president of some kind.

And as David so artfully said, I mean, we're hurting ourselves here right now and we're dividing ourselves. We're not operating as one. What does that say for '13? Well, I think that whoever is the next president is going to have to use executive power. I'm not sure we can turn to Congress right now to do big and bold things.

They are going to have to find an opening a way to do things. I mean, you know Thomas Jefferson sold the Louisiana Purchase on national security grounds and Kennedy sold the big space program on you know this idea of beating the Soviets. We need a unifying factor that a President could provide in a second term. And it'll be interesting to see if either Romney or Obama can do that.

If Mitt Romney is elected, he has $2 trillion loose dollars he's saying he's going to spend on the military.

MALVEAUX: Right.

BRINKLEY: But has never said where that money is coming from and how it's going to be -- how he's going to use it. It will be interesting to see if that's his version of infrastructure, Keynesian infrastructure via military spending that Republicans will vote for. And if Barack Obama gets in, how he's going to have to fight hard to hold onto Obamacare, his signature legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act.

MALVEAUX: All right.

BRINKLEY: And which is also important for his legacy.

MALVEAUX: Douglas we're going to have to leave it there. Douglas and we always appreciate; David Gergen, we appreciate you, as well and your perspectives here and how these govern -- these two men govern? It's going to be very important and whether or not they can even build and keep a coalition together at this time of division. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

We've got some new pictures in that we want to show you here. This is the president, it's in Chicago and he's at this field office. This is an unannounced stop that he made at a field office, a small campaign office in Chicago. And he's there on the phone. He's obviously there to thank the volunteers, the hard workers in his hometown. It all started there and he is picking up the phone making those important calls and the last-minute calls as you can imagine trying to get out the vote.

History being made today in many places across the country. Voters in Hawaii could send the first Asian American woman to the Hill to serve in the U.S. Senate. That is if Democratic Congresswoman Mazie Hirono beats former Republican Governor Linda Lingle. Polls are set to open at noon Eastern Time. Odds favor Hirono for two key reasons. Hawaii big Democratic state and its most famous native son just happens to be the President.

So why don't you weigh in on the race for the White House CNN has now partnered with Facebook to create this new app that is called "I'm voting". Just go to my Facebook page, Facebook.com/SuzanneCNN click on the "I'm voting app".

So today's question, "When do you think we will know who won?" Let us know what you think. We're going to share some of your responses in the next hour.

And a lot of folks think the road to victory tonight running through Iowa, of course. We're going take you -- Ohio, that is rather live where the votes are already rolling in.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

MALVEAUX: We have still pictures there of the President making an unannounced stop in Chicago, Illinois, Hyde Park area at one of the field offices of his campaign. We are told that the President did give brief remarks after this picture was taken and he says, and we're going to be pulling the tape soon, turning this tape, he says he's grateful to all those who have worked so hard on behalf of the campaign". He says, "Thank you to the American people". He says "It's a source of great optimism to come on Election Day because he ends up having confidence in the decency and goodness of the American people."

He also gives congratulations to Governor Romney on what he's calling a spirited campaign and says that he knows that his supporters, Romney's supporters, are just as engaged. The President goes on to say that he feels confident that we've got the votes to win and that he encourages everyone on both sides to exercise their right to vote.

As soon as we get that tape we'll turn it for you. But the President is making brief remarks there at a campaign field office out of Chicago.

Ohio is a crucial -- critical battleground state in the election as well. Romney has two campaign stops later today. One is going to be in Ohio, the other in Pennsylvania. As for Ohio, the Columbus Dispatch reports the candidates have made a combined 83 visits to the state, the 84th is happening in just about an hour. And that's when Mitt Romney is going to be arriving. So why all the fuss over Ohio? The state's 18 electoral votes, the second biggest swing state prize behind Florida. No Republican has ever won the presidency without Ohio.

Carol Costello is joining us from Ohio, Blue Ash, as a matter of fact. Carol, that's the big wind up there for you. It's also your hometown, right? This is your home state.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: It is my home state and believe me, we're always, always proud that we usually get the deciding factor in the presidential election. And people certainly feel that way here in Hamilton County. I'm in the southwestern part of the state in Blue Ash, which is a suburb of Cincinnati, this is traditionally Republican country, but in 2008 President Obama won Hamilton County so the Democrats here are hopeful he can pull it out again.

The Republicans not so much. In fact, they're kind of miffed that Mitt Romney has chosen to campaign in Ohio last time in Cuyahoga County in northeastern part of the state instead of here in Republican-rich Hamilton County.

I just talked to the Hamilton County Board of Elections Director. She expects a great turnout. In fact, she says the turnout has been spectacular so far. In 2008 it was 70 percent. She expects it to be more than 70 percent. She's shooting for 73 percent but then she says she's a glass half full kind of person.

I talked to many voters standing in line early this morning at 6:30 a.m. Eastern time when the polls opened. The lines were very long. People were excited to vote. One woman said she could not sleep all night long. She tried early voting over the weekend and the lines were too long. She gave up.

So she woke up every hour on the hour last night thinking she would miss her chance to vote. She was at least -- I think she was the third person in line, and she did cast her ballot. She said that she felt that this election was more important than elections past because it was important for people to get involved so we can take care of this massive debt we're currently under.

MALVEAUX: And Carol, your mom is still there, too, right? She's voting -- she's voting in the state as well?

COSTELLO: My mother lives in northeastern Ohio in Stark County. And of course, Stark County decides it all as you know. I am sure, I am positive my mother has already cast her ballot and yes her mind was made up months and months ago. In fact, she told me the other day I can't believe there's such a thing as an undecided voter. If somebody hasn't decided as of today, there's something wrong with them, Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: We were kind of wondering who those undecided voters were too, Carol. All right, well best to you and your mom. We'll get back to you in a little bit.

Whether Mitt Romney or the President wins the presidency, there is still Congress of course to consider with several senators and representatives retiring, there's a fight for power on Capitol Hill. Up next.

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MALVEAUX: It's Election Day. Not just for the White House -- there you see live pictures there -- but also the balance of power in Congress is at stake. All 435 House seats up for grabs but the senate is where we find some of the more higher profile battles, the ones that could really change the balance in Washington.

Our Dana Bash, she has more on the landscape in the key races we'll be keeping an especially close eye on tonight.

DANA BASH, CNN SENIOR CONGRESSIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Suzanne, when you talk about the balance of power and what's at stake in the Senate, the first thing we should do is look at where things stand right now. And it shows you up here -- 47 Republican seats, 51 Democratic seats plus two Independents but 47 is really the key number because it means that Republicans need a net gain of four seats in order to take control of the senate.

What's at stake? Let's take a look. All of these white seats, all of those are up for grabs. 33 races, one-third of the senate is going before the polls today. But you know what, many of those are not competitive. So we're going to take those out and just keep it to those that we're really focusing on. But it's pretty big universe of races. It's about a dozen races that we're looking at.

Republicans need to take many of these blue seats in order to have a chance at retaking the Senate.

Let's look at some of the most interesting races that we've seen this election year. Virginia, living in Washington, we see the ads running over and over again. And it's no surprise that this is the most expensive Senate race so far. $82 million -- it's the Democrat Tim Kaine trying to hold onto this Democratic seat. He's trying to fill the seat of retiring Senator Jim Webb. And George Allen who was defeated six years ago is trying to get that seat back. It's neck and neck in the polls.

Let's look at one other fascinating race, and that is Montana. It's a red stated but there's a Democratic Senator, Jon Tester. He's trying to hold onto this seat. Republicans with their candidate Denny Rehberg are trying to take this from him. $50 million spent in Montana, which is a lot of money. It doesn't even have a major media market. But it hasn't moved the dial at all.

Before the race started they were one percent in the polls. Now on Election Day there's a one percent difference between the two of them in the polls. So that tells you how tight it is.

Then let's look at the key race for Republicans where they're defending their own turf. Scott Brown in Massachusetts. He is the incumbent senator. He's had a run for his money in more ways than one from Elizabeth Warren, the Democrat. Privately Republicans have said that they just don't think they can hold onto this. They think that Democrats are going to come home in the traditionally democratic state of Massachusetts. But in the last couple days those polls have tightened up publicly and privately. So you never know.

Scott Brown certainly pulled off a surprise a few years ago and he could do the same today.

These are just three examples but we're going to be watching all of these incredibly dramatic competitive races as the night goes on tonight -- Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: All right. Thanks.

Thousands of people in New York and New Jersey are facing devastating losses from Superstorm Sandy. On this Election Day, they're actually getting extra help if they can make it to any local polling station.

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MALVEAUX: The aftermath of Hurricane Sandy making it very difficult for a lot of folks to vote in New York and New Jersey. Those two states were hardest hit by the storm and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has now issued an order allowing voters in counties that are hit by the disaster to actually cast a provisional ballot at any polling station in the state.

It's also happening in New Jersey as well. I want to bring in Alina Cho who joins us from Brooklyn to explain how this is all working.

ALINA CHO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey Suzanne. Good morning to you. We're actually at the only school in New York City that is doubling as a shelter and a polling station today. The polls have been open for about five hours or so. And I can tell you we've just been inside, the lines are very long, turnout is high here. Hundreds of people are inside right now and people conducting exit polls we're happy to report are outside.

As I mentioned turnout is high. People are casting their ballots except in those rare cases where they can't stand the wait.

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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's just a very long line, and probably going to try around 12:30 or 1:00.

CHO: Think it might be slower then?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don't know. If it's not, we'll wait for it then.

CHO: How long did you wait before you gave up?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: About a minute. But it's just a very long line. And I've got time in the afternoon, but right now I don't, but I'll be back to make the wait.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It's inspiring to see so many people up and out to vote already, and there doesn't seem to be much confusion. I guess people were afraid that after Sandy people wouldn't have a priority of coming out to vote, but they're here.

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CHO: it is inspiring and that woman we spoke to actually said she came in early. She voted at about 7:30 this morning and she said the reason why she came early is because she's volunteering today in the Rockaways which is one of the hardest hit areas after the storm.

Now, in what was really an extraordinary 11th hour move yesterday, New York's governor Andrew Cuomo, as you mentioned, signed an executive order which essentially says if you're one of those people who lives in a federal disaster zone in New York, today you can cast your ballot not just in your district but any district, any polling station across New York state.

It is unprecedented. It is significant. It's not a perfect solution, Suzanne. The state admits that there might be some complications with some local hotly-contested races, but if you were voting in a district other than your own in New York, you need to know that you will only be able to vote in the presidential race and in statewide initiatives but the bottom line, Suzanne is you will be able to vote today. Back to you.

MALVEAUX: All right. That is important. Thank you, Alina, appreciate it. We're following some of these interesting state initiatives, everything from health care to taxes. In California voters actually might abolish the death penalty.

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MALVEAUX: Election Day finally here.

Showing you what's going on as voters head to the polls across the country. We're also talking about some of the big ballot initiatives as well. One of the most divisive issues voters facing on the ballot in four states is same-sex marriage. Three states Maine, Maryland and Washington deciding whether or not to legalize it.

Now voters in Minnesota, they are going to choose whether to add a ban on same-sex marriage to the state constitution. Now, even if the constitutional ban is defeated, same-sex marriage is still going to be illegal in the state under another current law.

This woman, she has overcome tremendous, tremendous odds. Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords does her part. Today she casts her vote.

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