Election Day in America

The people of the United States spoke with their votes yesterday in local, state, and national races and on numerous ballot questions. President Obama was reelected after a hard-fought campaign with challenger Mitt Romney, and the Republicans and Democrats remained in control of their respective majorities in the House of Representatives and Senate. Here's a look at the voting process throughout Tuesday and into the early morning hours Wednesday of the celebrations and disappointment as the results came in. -- Lloyd Young ( 40 photos total)

Voters wait for the polling station to open to cast their ballots on Election Day, Nov. 6, outside the May Town Hall in May Township, Minn. (Jim Gehrz/Jim Gehrz via Associated Press)

A three picture combo shows Nina Bush reacting as she casts her ballot on an electronic voting machine at a polling site in the Toledo Police Museum. Bush stated that she was happy that she was able to cast her vote, believing she had done 'a good thing' by voting in the presidential election. (Jeff Kowalsky/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Hotel employee Denzil Telphia, of Boston, steams the wrinkles from an American flag hanging as a backdrop at Elizabeth Warren's election night party in Boston. (Gretchen Ertl/Reuters) #

A poll worker assists voters with the help of a flashlight in a makeshift tent set up as a polling place at Scholars' Academy, PS 180, in the Rockaway neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. Many voters in New York City and New Jersey are voting at alternate locations in the presidential election due to disruption from superstorm Sandy. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) #

Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney greets workers at a campaign call center during the US presidential election in Green Tree, Pa. (Brian Snyder/Reuters) #

President Obama is applauded as he visits with volunteers at a campaign office the morning of the 2012 election in Chicago. (Carolyn Kaster/Associated Press) #

At the Beech Street Center in Belmont, Mass., poll worker Rosemary Good handed out "I voted" stickers. (David L Ryan/The Boston Globe) #

A Chinese woman poses for a photograph with the cardboard cutouts of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, left, and President Obama at a presidential election event, organized by the US embassy in Beijing. (Andy Wong/Associated Press) #

Mike Wigart, 30, picks up his ballot at a polling station in the garage of the Los Angeles County lifeguard headquarters in Los Angeles, Calif. Californians cast ballots in dozens of tight races including Gov. Jerry Brown's tax plan, abolishing the death penalty, easing the state's strict "three strikes" sentencing law and also in the presidential race between Democratic President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) #

Obama and Romney cookie trays beckon shoppers at the Oakmont Bakery in Pennsylvania. Cookie purchase polls reveal customers have purchased 2,332 Romney cookies while 1,745 Obama cookies have been sold. (Jeff Swensen/Getty Images) #

Kenady Pettingill, 12, and friends urge drivers to vote for Mitt Romney in Spanish Springs, Nev. (Max Whittaker/Getty Images) #

William Wright, left, and India Johnson, both freshmen at Old Dominion University, wait in line to vote at Larchmont Elementary School in Norfolk, Va. Wright and Johnson, both 18 and from Richmond, were excited to cast their first votes in the presidential election. (Amanda Lucier/The Virginian-Pilot via Associated Press) #

Poll worker Robin S. Davis, left, administers the Election Day Oath to Bill Partlow, chief judge for precinct 140, at Harrison United Methodist Church in Pineville, N.C. (Chris Keane/Reuters) #

Voters wait in line at the Bobby Miller Activity Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (Dusty Compton/Tuscaloosa News via Associated Press) #

United Auto Workers retiree Jackie Smith listens during a rally on Election Day at the UAW Region 1 technical training center in Warren, Mich. (Paul Sancya/Associated Press) #

Mitt Romney waves to a crowd of supporters after voting in Belmont, Mass. (David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe) #

People prepare to cast their ballots inside polling booths just after midnight in Dixville Notch, N.H., the very first voting to take place in the 2012 US presidential election. (Rogerio Barbosa/AFP/Getty Images) #

Jennifer Shiberou, right, votes with her children, from left, Sophie Pauti, 10, Yakube Pauti, 16, Samuel Shiberou, 7, and Addis Shiberou, 4, at the Trinity United Methodist Church on Election Day, in Memphis, Tenn. (Mark Weber/The Commercial Appeal via Associated Press) #

From left: Mary Condon. Marjie Crosby Lynn and Rachel Tose fell asleep while waiting for election results in the hotly contested Sixth Congressional District race in Salem, Mass. (Barry Chin/The Boston Globe) #

Elizabeth Warren hugs her husband, Bruce Mann, after giving her victory speech to supporters once she became the first woman to represent Massachusetts in the US Senate. (Yoon S. Byun/The Boston Globe) #

An attendee watches election results at the 2012 Election Night Reception sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida in Tampa, Fla. Florida is considered a swing state in the US presidential election, with 29 electoral votes up for grabs. (Edward Linsmier/Getty Images) #

US citizens check their mobile phones during a US Election Returns party in Mumbai, India. (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP/Getty Images) #

People watch early election results displayed on a utility lift suspended from the front of the GE Building at Rockefeller Center in New York City. (Craig Ruttle/Associated Press) #

Norma Juarez reacts to President Obama being reelected for another four years as president at The Village Pour House in New York City. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) #

Mitt Romney supporter, Merav Bader, reacts as a state is called for President Obama at an election night watch party at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nev. (David Becker/Getty Images) #

Mitt Romney gave his concession speech at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center on election night. (Essdras M Suarez/The Boston Globe) #

President Obama celebrates on stage as confetti falls after his victory speech during his election rally in Chicago. (Reuters) #

President Obama supporters cheer while watching the returns prior to his election night rally in Chicago. (Larry Downing/Reuters) #

Spectators react to the election results displayed on large televisions during Mitt Romney's campaign election night event in Boston. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) #

The ice skating rink in Rockefeller Center shows the results of the presidential election on Nov. 7, 2012. President Obama won Ohio, Wisconsin, Virginia, Iowa, New Hampshire, Colorado and Nevada, seven of the nine battleground states where the rivals and their allies poured nearly $1 billion into dueling television commercials. Romney captured only North Carolina. The final swing state, Florida. remained too close to call. (Richard Drew/Associated Press) #

Supporters of President Obama Shauna Harry, left, and Alana Hearn celebrate by leaping in the air at New York State Democratic Headquarters following Election Day. (Kathy Willens/Associated Press) #

Supporters of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney react to results on election night in Boston, Mass. President Obama was reelected as television networks projected, only the second time in several decades that a Democrat has won a second term in the White House. (Emmanuel Dunand/AFP/Getty Images) #

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney walks off stage with his wife, Ann, after he gave his concession speech at his election night rally in Boston. (Charles Dharapak/Associated Press) #

President Obama stands on stage with first lady Michelle Obama after his victory speech on election night at McCormick Place in Chicago, Il. Obama won reelection against Republican candidate, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) #

A pair of shoes are left behind after the victory party for President Obama in Chicago. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters) #

People celebrate with cardboard cut of the President Obama in front of the White House in Washington. (Mladen Antonov/AFP/Getty Images) #

A US citizen, dressed as Uncle Sam, takes away the cut out figure of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, minutes after his defeat was announced in Jerusalem, Israel. (Abir Sultan/European Pressphoto Agency) #

Supporters cheer at the end of President Obama's remarks during an election night party in Chicago. (Matt Rourke/Associated Press) #

Two Republican presidential candidate supporters of Mitt Romney watch President Obama give his victory speech after Romney conceded the race during an election night rally in Boston. (Stephan Savoia/Associated Press) #

A man leaves after watching President Obama's acceptance speech in New York City broadcast live in Times Square following his reelection. President Obama won a second term in the White House on Tuesday, overcoming deep doubts among voters about his handling of the US economy to score a clear victory over Republican challenger Mitt Romney. (Andrew Kelly/Reuters) #

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