As of the start of Election Day, Sen. Barack Obama leads in the RealClearPolitics.com national average of polls by 7.6 percent, reflecting a 0.9 percent jump since last Tuesday.
But, as much of the nation learned by example in the 2000 election, it is the total number of electoral votes rather than the popular vote that determine the outcome of U.S. presidential elections.
And the pre-election polls in many states show the races remain close.
As of this afternoon, Obama has a 1.8 percent lead in the pre-election polls over Sen. John McCain in Florida, which holds 27 electoral votes.
That margin has fallen 2.4 points, from 4.2 percent, since Sunday.
Florida ballots contain a same-sex marriage initiative, which is expected to bring many conservative voters to the polls.
The sunshine state’s electoral votes have gone to the Democrats in only two of the past 10 presidential elections.
Ohio’s polls also indicate a close race, with McCain trailing Obama by 2.5 points as of Tuesday afternoon. Just a week ago, the battle for Ohio’s 20 electoral votes had a margin of 6.4 percent.
The poll margins for the Pennsylvania race remain slightly larger, with Obama leading by 7.3 points going into the election. That margin fell 9.8 points since last Tuesday. Pennsylvania holds 21 electoral votes.
All poll numbers are from RealClearPoltics.com pre-election poll averages.
