By DPA,
Washington : Polling stations closed Tuesday in a broad swathe of eastern states including key battlegrounds Pennsylvania, Florida, Missouri and New Hampshire, all of which were heavily contested in the presidential race between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama.
The eastern state Pennsylvania is McCain’s best hope of capturing a typically Democratic stronghold. Missouri is considered a bellwether state that has voted in favour of the winning candidate in every election but one since 1900.
Some initial results were already flowing in from Florida, always a tight contest won by President George W. Bush in 2004 and by just 500 votes in 2000. Obama led 57 percent to McCain’s 43 percent with 11 percent of precincts reporting.
Other states that closed at 8 p.m. (0100 GMT) included Massachusetts Illinois, and New Jersey.
Polls had earlier closed in other battleground states like Virginia and Indiana, Georgia, South Carolina, Vermont and Kentucky.
Vermont was projected by television networks for Obama, while Kentucky, and South Carolina were projected for McCain.