2012 Election Night Cheat Sheet

2012 ELECTION NIGHT & sparks & honey CHEAT SHEET INDIANA: Polls close and we'll see whether once popular Tea Party favorite Richard Mourdock, who gained national attention when he referred to rape and God's will in the same sentence, defeats moderate Democrat Joe Donnelly. Nationally, we will be looking to this race for signals about how significant women's issues are to voters. p.m. 7 VIRGINIA & FLORIDA: Polls close in Virginia and most of Florida (some districts in Florida close an hour later as they are in Central time). Polls have Florida leaning Romney and Virginia leaning Obama. If there are any surprises here or any indications that the election is too close to call, sit tight, it's going to be a long night. p.m. 7:30 OHIO & NORTH CAROLINA: Two more swing states close at 7:30. It's been widely stated that neither candidate can win the election without Ohio. If Ohio looks too close to call, that long night may well stretch into a long 10 days as election officials tally and recheck absentee and early voting ballots. MAY 20th 17 N- APRIL p.m. NEW HAMPSHIRE: Also a swing state for the Presidential race, we are actually watching the House of Representatives races in New Hampshire. This state already has two female Senators and if the two women running for New Hampshire's only two House seats win, New Hampshire will be the first state ever to have an all female Congressional delegation. p.m. MISSOURI: In another Senate race that gained national attention, see whether Republican Todd Akin is able to eke out a victory over Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill in Missouri. MARYLAND & MAINE: Voters in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington will cast decisions on gay marriage laws. If any of these initiatives passes, it will mark a shift as the first time voters have passed a gay marriage initiative. WISCONSIN: Although Wisconsin has voted Democratic for the past several elections, it's been very close each time, and Romney hopes that his running mate Wisconsin native Paul Ryan will help carry him to a win there. But it's the state's Senate racethat could have the biggest impact on broader culture. If Democrat Tammy Baldwin wins, she would become the first openly gay U.S. Senator. WISCONSIN 1848 p.m. COLORADO: Another Presidential swing state, we'll also be watching Colorado to see whether voters support Amendment 64, which would effectively legalize marijuana for recreational use in the State. Similar initiatives are on the ballot in Washington and Oregon. MINNESOTA: Voters in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington will cast decisions on gay marriage laws. Minnesota polls close at 8 pm. VIOSEMAIN UTAH: Romney will likely take Utah and there's a slight chance that the election will be called this hour, but in a Utah Congressional race, if Mia Love, a Haitian- American Mormon Republican wins, she will become the GOP's first black female delegate to the House of Representatives. 10 UTAH p.m. 1896 11 CALIFORNIA: The Presidential race will not be decided by California, which is generally expected to vote for Obama, however the issue to watch in California is Proposition 37, the ballot initiative which, if passed, would require labeling of genetically modified food and is considered an inflection point for America's growing Food Movement. CALIFORNIA REPUBLIC p.m. STATE WASHINGTON: Voters in Maryland, Maine, Minnesota and Washington will cast decisions on gay marriage laws. Washington is a mail-in ballot state, but expect results around 8 p.m. PT. We'll also be watching for the results of Initiative 502, which would legalize and regulate marijuana in the state. This hour will also see results on a similar initiative, called Measure 80 in Oregon. 1889 NOLONI OF WAS NASHIN OF THE HE SEAL