Election day: What you need to know

Last update: November 4, 2008 - 5:48 PM

WHEN YOU VOTE

Don't wear a campaign button or T-shirt within 100 feet of the polling place. No campaigning is allowed.

If you're disabled, you can ask for a ballot to be brought to your car or use touch-screen equipment inside. Someone can help you vote, but it can't be your boss, union rep or a candidate.

If there's a line at 8 p.m., an election judge will identify the last person in it. That will be the last person allowed to vote.

GLUED TO YOUR TV?

Here are the Twin Cities starting times for coverage:

4 p.m.: MSNBC

5 p.m.: CNN, Fox News, Fox Business Network

6 p.m.: CBS, NBC, ABC, Fox, C-SPAN, CNBC, Univision, TV One

8 p.m.: PBS, BET

9 pm.: Comedy Central

WATCHING THE BELLWETHER STATES

Traditionally, a candidate has required victories in at least two of the three biggest swing states -- Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida -- to claim the White House. Yet, even if John McCain prevails in Ohio and Florida, victories for Barack Obama in either Virginia -- which has not voted for a Democrat since 1964 -- or North Carolina -- GOP since 1976 -- could tip the contest to Obama.

Mike Murphy, a former McCain adviser, said, "Any two bad things happen -- losing Virginia and North Carolina, Virginia and Florida, Virginia and Ohio -- and it's over [for McCain.]" But if Obama fails to capture a handful of key states by 8 p.m., then McCain has a shot at getting to the magic 270 electoral votes.

Ohio has voted for the winner in nearly every election for the past 100 years. Missouri, another critical indicator, has failed to vote for the winner only in 1956. In the West, all eyes are on Colorado. Because the state generally votes Republican -- choosing Democrats just five times since 1920 -- any Democrat who wins there is staking a claim to the White House.

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