Tonight's Poll Closing Times: When We'll Know The Results

Here are the poll closing times for the elections we are most closely watching tonight (all times Eastern):

7 p.m. Virginia governor — Polls continue to show Bob McDonnell (R) with a sizable lead over Creigh Deeds (D) — anywhere from between 11 and 18 points — so we may know this one pretty early. Republicans are hoping to sweep the two other statewide offices (lt. gov. and attorney general). Gov. Tim Kaine, who also doubles as the Democratic national chairman, is limited to one term, the only state in the nation that has such limits.

8 p.m. New Jersey — This may be the most closely watched race of the right because it may prove to be the closest race. Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and Republican challenger Chris Christie are locked into a tight contest. Aside from whether it's a referendum on Corzine's stewardship of the state the past four years or on Christie's fitness as the alternative, there is the question of what percentage of the vote will go to the independent on the ballot, Chris Daggett. By most indications, his numbers, once thought to be approaching 20 percent, have fallen back drastically as we get closer to election day.

For a blue state, New Jersey has had its share of close gubernatorial elections in the past, starting with Tom Kean's (R) 1,700-vote victory over Jim Florio (D) in 1981, as well as the two narrow wins by Republican Christie Whitman in the 1990s. This race could be equally close, so we may not know the answer early.

9 p.m. New York — The contest in upstate New York is one of two special congressional races in the nation on Tuesday, and one everyone is watching. It's for the 23rd CD seat vacated by now-Army Secretary John McHugh (and no matter how this one turns out, how brilliant was it of President Obama to cause this GOP civil war by plucking McHugh out of the House?) Dede Scozzafava, the Republican nominee, found herself under attack by conservatives for her positions on abortion, same-sex marriage and the Obama economic policies. That led to an increase in support for the Conservative Party candidate, Doug Hoffman, who picked up the endorsement of national Republicans such as Sarah Palin, Tim Pawlenty, Fred Thompson and a whole bunch of incumbent members of the House and Senate. The betting for the longest time was that the split among Republicans would ultimately give this seat to Bill Owens, a Democrat, in a district that hasn't elected a Democrat since there's been a Republican Party. But on Saturday, faced with disappearing polling numbers and an almost non-existent bank account, Scozzafava ended her candidacy (her name remains on the ballot). On Sunday, she endosed Democrat Owens. Latest polling has Hoffman up, but it's close.

A lot of money is also being spent in the New York City mayoral contest, although contest may be the wrong word to use. Michael Bloomberg, the multi-billionaire incumbent, had the city council change the term limits law so he could run again for the third time. He has a huge lead over City Comptroller William Thompson. Bloomberg, a Democrat all his life until he first ran for mayor, as a Republican, in 2001, and who left the GOP in 2007 to become an independent, is running on both the Republican and Independent lines. Thompson, who is African-American, is the Democratic nominee in a city that is 5-to-1 Democratic.