A voter signs in to cast a ballot at the old Brown School on Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012, in rural Wellsville, Kan. After …And we're off.
In a way, the millions of Americans who will cast their ballot at their neighborhood polling stations on Election Day can either be seen as staunch traditionalists or procrastinators. Early and absentee ballot voting have hit record highs in California, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee and many other states. (Oregon and Washington of course have long led that trend, since all ballots are mail-in.)
Still, there's a weary exhilaration that a long, turbulent election slog will soon be over. Let's tune in and see what political issues people throughout the United States are searching for on Yahoo! on Election Day. (Check back in: We will be updating throughout the day, with the most recent at top. All times noted are the area's local time.)
Related: Yahoo! Election Control Room
Related: Election Day, in pictures
Confetti obscures the stage as U.S. President Barack Obama celebrates after winning the U.S. presidential election …
Searches on Yahoo!, from across the nation, after Obama's second term is confirmed
- 2012 Election Results
- 2012 Electoral Map, Election Map
- Who Won the Popular Vote, Presidential Popular Vote 2012 Results, Popular Vote Totals 2012
- California Propositions
- Obama Acceptance Speech, Obama's Victory Speech
- Colorado Marijuana Legalization 2012
- Michele Bachmann
- California Proposition Results
- Jesse Jackson Jr.
- Mitt Romney Concession Speech
Political figures rising in national searches: 8:15 p.m. to 11:15 p.m. (local times)
Before networks called the election for Mitt Romney, Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight blog had been the man of the hour, leading searches on Yahoo! for newsmakers, media hosts, and politicians. Now all lookups are on Mitt Romney, followed by Silver, Chris Murphy, Tammy Duckworth, Karl Rove, Roseanne Barr, Wolf Blitzer, George Stephanopoulos, Jimmy Carter, Tammy Baldwin.
Searches on Yahoo! across the nation: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. (local times)
Political-related searches
- Presidential polls
- Ohio Exit Polls 2012
- Electoral Votes 2012
- Presidential Election Results
- Who's Winning the Election
- Poll Results
- MSNBC Election Polls
- Online Voting Presidential Election
- Washington State Election Result
- 2008 Election Results
Boston: 6 p.m.
Another two hours to go, and the expensively cutthroat Senate race between challenger Elizabeth Warren and Sen. Scott Brown will be finished one way or another. Bostonians are reviewing "massachusetts senate race polls 2012," but final numbers are still far from decided. Understandably, more immediate numbers that can be grasped are "cost of presidential election" (nearly $2 billion, which probably wasn't the kind of economic stimulus people were asking for). As though this election weren't enough, people here are looking at "18th party congress," which actually comprises China's new rulers.
Louisville, Ky.: 4 p.m.
The two states that ban booze on Election Day also close up election shop first. None too soon for the Bluegrass State, where residents in Louisville are still (and perhaps forlornly) searching "kentucky election day alcohol sales" and "election day beer sales" on Yahoo!. With two hours to go, people are asking "when will polls start reporting" and looking at "early voting analysis." But, some are still mulling over "romney or obama better president," "mitt romney's stand on issues," "where to vote in kentucky," and "election voting booths." While the state may have been lukewarm toward the president, lookups such as "romney profiteering" and "obama romney jokes" aren't exactly encouraging. Local issues include "kentucky constitution amendment 2012" and "kentucky hunting and fishing amendment," in which voters decide whether hunting rights should be part of their state constitution. But, just 'cuz they have to stay dry doesn't mean they can't enjoy themselves: Searches are gearing up for "election party recipes."
Denver: 2:45 p.m.
People here may be calculating "why popular vote doesn't matter," but they do know every vote counts for local contests such as the "colorado judges election 2012" as well as for "colorado 2012 ballot measures." The searches on Yahoo! are still going strong for polling locations ("ballot drop off denver") and evaluating the latest results ("obama chances of winning"), but it's tempting just to peek over at what Ohio is doing ("who is leading ohio"), because no president has ever lost the Buckeye State. Like in so many other areas, Denver residents plan to celebrate the end of a contentious season ("election day party recipes" and "free presidential election games).
Searches across the nation: 1-4 p.m.
Bubbling to the top of national searches:
- Electoral Votes 2012
- 2012 Election Results
- Exit Poll Ohio
- Presidential Election Results
- Early Voting Results 2012
- Florida Amendments 2012 Ballot
- Who's Winning the Election
- Latest 2012 Election Predictions
- Election Coverage
- Ballot for 2012 Elections
- Sample Ballot 2012
- Dixville Notch
- Electoral College Map
- Vote Online for President
- Provisional Ballots
- California Proposition
- Election Day 2012
- Election Map
- Where Do I Vote
- Early Election Returns
Chicago: 2:45 p.m.
Lots for the Windy City to ruminate, in local races ("judy biggert 2012 election," "illinois judges election," "leslie coolidge for congress") and big amendments ("illinois constitution amendment"). Although Obama is a native son of sorts, some are critically examining Romney's merits — and his assets ("mitt romney medicare reform," "mitt romney house pictures"). As for Obama, searches are for the convention center party that may see an appearance by the president ("mccormick place election night," "obama mccormick place," "mccormick place election night") . One politician people are watching, however, isn't up for re-election at all—but fighting for something bigger. Sen. Mark Kirk won the seat once occupied by Obama, but then suffered a massive stroke nine months ago. He made his first public appearance this month, climbing 37 flights of stairs for charity and making robo-calls.
