2012 election campaign has entered its final 24 hours with President Barack Obama riding a slim lead in enough key states to secure a second term
After hundreds of rallies, thousands of miles flown back and forth across the US by the presidential candidates, and billions of dollars in political advertising, the 2012 election campaign has entered its final 24 hours with President Barack Obama riding a slim lead in enough key states to secure a second term.
Americans Tuesday are to decide whether to re-elect Obama or to trust Mitt R
omney in a close fought vote.
National polling showed late voter movement toward Obama, raising the possibility that the election might not drag out for days and weeks of wrangling over disputed ballots. Obama continued to maintain a slight edge in the vast majority of swing-state opinion polls, though his advantage typically remained within the surveys' margins of error, leaving the contest statistically tied.
Both men, exhausted by the last manic Monday of a campaign that has raged for two years, made their final plea to voters in late night rallies attended by fervent supporters.
"Tomorrow, from the granite of New Hampshire to the Rockies of Colorado, from the coastlines of Florida, to Virginia's rolling hills, from the valleys of Ohio to these Iowa fields, we will keep America moving forward," Obama, who seeks to win a second four-year term, said.
As he spoke in Iowa, a single tear rolled down the president's face as he wrapped up what was -- win or lose -- his last-ever campaign event.
Romney put an exclamation mark on his campaign with his own, rowdy late night rally, at a sports arena in New Hampshire, capping the most expensive campaign season in US history, which cost $6 billion.
"Tomorrow is a moment to look into the future and imagine what we can do, to put that past four years behind us and build a new future," Romney said. "Walk with me. Tomorrow, we begin a new tomorrow."
Fresh reports show that 90 million eligible American voters have decided to withhold their ballots in the 57th US presidential election. Out of 207 million eligible voters in the US, only 150 million have registered to take part in the election, Monday reports said.
The poll predicted a voter turnout of 83 percent, down from 86 percent in 2008 and 89 percent in 2004.
