Time Guide to U.S. Presidential Election

The U.S. presidential election begins in New Hampshire and Vermont at 5 a.m. today and ends at six different times in the country’s four time zones. Each state can also set its own polling hours.

The exit poll results are expected at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday.

▽ 9 a.m. Wednesday

The results will come at 9 a.m. in Virginia (13 electoral votes) and Indiana (11) in the East Coast. Ohio (20) will release its results at 9:30 p.m.

If Barack Obama wins Virginia, he will be the first Democrat to win the crucial state since 1964. Real Clear Politics said Sunday that he led Republican rival John McCain 49.8 percent to 46 percent.

Indiana, a GOP stronghold where George W. Bush won by 15 to 20 percentage points in the 2000 and 2004 elections, is seeing a McCain lead of 0.5 percentage point.

The exciting race will be held in Ohio. Few candidates have won the White House without taking Ohio. Obama has a slight lead here.

▽ 10 a.m.

By this time, the election could be decided. With the largest number of electoral votes (192) this period includes Pennsylvania (21), Florida (27) and North Carolina (15).

The candidate who sweeps these three states is likely to claim victory.

Obama is certain to take California, which has the largest number of electoral votes with 55. McCain is set to win the Republican stronghold of Texas (34).

Thus taking Florida, which has the third most electoral votes, will be better than earning four to five small states.

McCain cares most for Pennsylvania, a state which Democrats have carried over the past two presidential elections. The McCain camp could surprise by taking the state, though Obama is leading by seven percentage points.

▽ 11 a.m.

Results will come out in Arizona (10), Colorado (nine) and New Mexico (five). The media will release polling results nationwide in predicting the next president.

Arizona, McCain’s home state, will draw attention at this time. A loss there will deal a heavy blow to him.

Obama aired his TV commercials for the first time here, but McCain is leading by 3.5 percentage points.

▽ Noon

Nevada (five) will decide the election if no winner is yet seen. In the swing state leaning toward McCain, Obama said there should be no red or blue state in the United States.

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