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**Written by Doug Powers

And they’re off…

Between 7 and 8 p.m. EST polls close in Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina, Florida and 15 other states.

At 9 p.m. polls will have closed in 15 more states, including Wisconsin and Colorado.

At 10 p.m. four states including Nevada and Iowa will finish voting.

Then the west finishes up between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. EST. But these states are far more predictable, so unless the margins in the east and Midwest swing states are razor thin we should have some idea where this is all headed before it’s too late… but you never know.

Also there are congressional and gubernatorial elections as well as ballot initiatives going on. Feel free to let us know in the comments what’s going on in your local races.

Be sure to check Twitchy for more.

Update: So far states called are nothing unexpected. Going Romney’s way are South Carolina, Georgia, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Alabama and Tennessee.

Called for Obama so far: Connecticut, Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington, DC. Vermont has also been called for Obama, though many of his voters there complained the president is a little more conservative than they’d like.

There’s a good running list of all races on a single page, updated continuously, at Real Clear Politics.

Update II: New York, Michigan called for Obama.

Texas, N. Dakota, S. Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kentucky, Louisiana, Utah and Kansas called for Romney.

Chuck Todd: Both sides now expect Romney to win Florida… barely. We’ll see.

CNN reports Republicans will maintain control of the House of Representatives. Not surprising, but any assurances at this point are welcome.

US Senate race in Texas called for Ted Cruz.

Obama will win Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

Fox News projecting Joe Donnelly to defeat Richard Mourdock for Dick Lugar’s old Senate seat. A turnover to the Dems.

Fauxcahontas now projected to defeat Scott Brown.

Update III: Claire McCaskill will win over Todd Akin.

Also, after a brief hiatus, there will be a Kennedy in Congress again.

Update IV: Tim Kaine defeats George Allen in Virginia.

Obama will take Ohio, meaning he’ll most likely win re-election. The only remaining question is this: In the coming months and years, who will Obama claim he inherited this economy from?

Republican Party soul-searching begins now. How can the right win back the White House? Has the electorate passed a social tipping point, or was the candidate the problem? Unfortunately, we now have quite a while to work these questions through.

**Written by Doug Powers

Twitter @ThePowersThatBe