Plans for tonight

Written by: DFA Staff on Nov 4, 2008 5:12 PM EST

The New York Times had a great guide for watching the results come in tonight...

SETTING THE TABLE The networks are not supposed to call a state until all the polls in that state have closed. But there will be lots of raw data online, so you can go on the Web, check the returns and try calling the state yourself. Several news sites include interactive maps so you can play along at home to see how the candidates might reach 270 electoral votes, the magic number needed to claim the presidency.

FIRST BITE The suspense starts in Indiana. Most polls close at 6 p.m. and others at 7. Indiana is a ruby red state where Mr. Obama has been running closely with Mr. McCain. Be wary of results that do not include Gary, a city with a substantial African-American population. If Mr. Obama wins it, Indiana could be the canary in the coal mine predicting disaster ahead for Mr. McCain.

APERITIF Also at 7 p.m., polls close in Virginia and Georgia, and polls close in most of Florida and New Hampshire.

All eyes will quickly veer to Virginia, which Mr. Obama has labored to win. If he succeeds in the former capital of the Old Confederacy, he will most likely do exceedingly well the rest of the night. Subtracting Virginia from the Republican column would give Mr. McCain very few routes to 270 electoral votes.

New Hampshire is less predictive. But it would be a bad sign for Mr. McCain if he cannot capture these mavericks, whom he has been courting for eight years.

ORANGE CRUSH? Florida, a voting experience unto itself. Whoever wins Florida, the fourth-largest state, gets a big leg up on winning the presidency. Again, if Mr. McCain loses here, his path narrows. But the race is so close that Florida may not portend much about the rest of the country. The drama in this state, which has become synonymous with electoral dysfunction, may be in the new and creative ways in which voters might be foiled from casting their ballots.

PALATE CLEANSERS At 7:30, polls close in Ohio and North Carolina. While Ohio is the bigger prize, keep your eyes on North Carolina (where officials have the option of keeping the polls open until 8:30 if there are problems). North Carolina is a red state that is newly competitive, again thanks to an aggressive Obama ground organization. If North Carolina votes for Mr. Obama, the map is likely to bleed blue for the rest of the night.

As for Ohio, it’s one of the nation’s biggest battlegrounds. For an indication of how things are going, check the returns from Stark County, a longtime bellwether.

I cannot wait for tonight...my fingers are crossed!

Dave Santucci
Operations Manager

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