A blur of waving flags greeted President Barack Obama's victory speech at an election night event in Chicago, Illinois.
(CNN) -- A long and bitter presidential election comes to a close Tuesday when Americans choose between a second term for President Barack Obama and a new direction with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
CNN's reporters, correspondents, analysts and anchors share what they'll be watching for that might tip off how the election will go:
Acosta: Romney's make-or-break state
It's been called Obama's election "firewall." But truth be told, it's looking more and more like Romney's make-or-break state.
Consider the day's agenda. Late Monday, the Romney campaign revealed the GOP nominee and running mate Paul Ryan will make public appearances in Cleveland on Election Day in one last push for undecided voters. No other state can make the same claim.
What other state can boast an event in which the Romney campaign plane pulled into an aircraft hangar before thousands of cheering supporters? That bit of grandiose stage crafting was pulled off by the Romney campaign in Columbus on Monday night.
Romney breaks tradition with Election Day campaigning
Despite the campaign's confidence in winning Ohio, a Republican source close to Romney's operation in the state said the result there will be "close, very close."
It might come down to Romney's opposition to the U.S. auto bailout. His "Let Detroit Go Bankrupt" op-ed in The New York Times in 2008 (a headline he did not write) may prove to be his downfall in Ohio, where one in eight jobs are tied to the auto industry. Who would have thought a newspaper column, not Romney's business career nor his record as governor of Massachusetts, would have the potential of denying him the White House?
Romney tried to mitigate the impact of the auto issue by making a discredited claim at an event in Ohio that Chrysler was considering moving all of its Jeep production to China. His campaign then continued to tell that story, in various renditions, in ads in the state to stinging reviews from the state's newspapers.
Bash: Unexpected GOP struggles in Senate
The neck-and-neck presidential race might be dominating headlines, but there are a lot of rich dramas playing out across the country in the battle for control of the Senate.
Heading into Election Day, there are nearly a dozen true toss-up races that could go either way.
Republicans hold 47 seats. To retake control of the Senate, the GOP needs a net gain of four. With 23 Democratic seats up for grabs in a terrible economy, it seemed like a no-brainer that Republicans would be able to flip four. But it's now a struggle for the GOP.
The central reason is that Republicans are defending several unexpected races on their own turf. Indiana's Senate race is going to be one of the evening's early bellwethers to determine the balance of power in the Senate. GOP candidate Richard Mourdock's poll numbers plummeted in this red state after he awkwardly said a few weeks ago that pregnancy from rape is a gift from God. Polls close at 7 p.m. ET, and if Democrat Joe Donnelly wins, it will set Republicans back -- especially since the GOP already expects to lose the seat vacated by retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe in Maine. The state's popular former governor, independent candidate Angus King, is on track to win there.
Controversies dim GOP hopes to take over Senate
Here are three other nail-biters I'll be watching:
Virginia: With more than $80 million spent so far, it's the most expensive Senate race in the country. Former GOP Sen. George Allen is trying to get his seat back after a narrow defeat six years ago. The man who beat him, Jim Webb, is retiring, and former Gov. and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine hopes to keep the seat in Democratic hands.
Montana: Neither Republicans nor Democrats will even privately predict which way this one will go. Incumbent Democrat Jon Tester is trying to hold on for a second term in this red state. GOP challenger Rep. Denny Rehberg started out the race about 1% ahead in the polls. Now, $50 million later, they're in the exact same place -- a 1% differential between them.
Massachusetts: Going into Election Day, Republican strategists were pessimistic about holding onto this red seat in the traditionally blue state. GOP Sen. Scott Brown had fallen behind his well-funded Democratic challenger, Elizabeth Warren -- a liberal icon who was the president's former consumer advocate.
Brown's win in the race to fill the late Ted Kennedy's seat stunned the political world, and he insists he'll surprise everyone again. But the president is expected to take Massachusetts by double digits -- and with him at the top of the ticket, it may be hard for Brown to beat back a Warren win.
Borger: How will the white vs. nonwhite vote split
One important indicator I will be looking at Election Night is the question of ethnicity -- and how the white vs. the nonwhite population splits. In the 2008 election, 74% of the electorate was white. That percentage has declined recently because of the growth in the Hispanic and voting African-American population.
Given the ongoing Republican trouble with Hispanic voters and the assumption that African-Americans will, once again, vote overwhelmingly for the president, Romney needs a strong white turnout to help propel him to victory.
In an analysis by Republican pollster Bill McInturff, the question of the white/nonwhite divide is called the most "critical" of the election. His analysis shows that if the white percentage of the electorate drops to 72%, Obama will probably win the election.
Do the math: CNN racial bloc voting calculator
One key to watch is how the white vote itself splits between Obama and Romney.
In the latest national poll CNN/ORC International, taken from Friday to Sunday, Obama received 40% of the white vote, while Romney got 57%. In 2008, Obama received 43% of the white vote, which means he is polling less than that currently.
Crowley: Virginia suburbs and I-4 corridor
The first thing I'll watch is the exit polls to see who's voting and where -- in particular, heavy Latino turnout in Colorado, Nevada, Virginia and Florida could indicate Obama wins those states.
Then, it's Virginia, Florida and Ohio.
I'll watch the Virginia suburbs of Washington, particularly the female vote. Romney won't win here, but he has to hold down Obama's numbers while running up his own score in the rural area. Romney has to win Virginia.
Florida is all about the Interstate 4 corridor. North of it votes Republican, south of it Democratic. The I-4 corridor decides.
Everyone will tell you to watch Lake, Stark and Hamilton counties in Ohio. There are good reasons to watch all of them, reasons no doubt delineated by my colleagues. But for me, it's all about Ottawa County, which has correctly picked the presidential winner in Ohio since 1944. That's a better record than pollsters. I'll watch Ottawa.
Hamby: How goes Pasco?
Polls begin to close in Florida at 7 p.m. ET, and a handful of counties will report their absentee and early vote tallies immediately.
Once that happens, political pros in Florida will be anxiously refreshing election board websites in a handful of those counties -- Pinellas, Duval, Orange -- in search of early clues about which way the state is trending.
Track county-by-county results: Florida
One of them is Pasco County, outside Tampa. Officials there are diligent about posting returns as quickly as possible. The county has a slight Republican tilt, but Obama won the early and absentee vote there in 2008 despite losing the county on Election Night. For Democrats, it was a promising sign that Obama was well on his way to being competitive statewide, even in GOP-leaning areas.
In 2004, George W. Bush beat John Kerry in the Pasco early/absentee vote by eight points. Bush ended up winning the county by 10 points. In a shift four years later, Obama beat John McCain by five points in the early absentee vote. He ultimately lost the county -- but only by 3.5 points, thanks to the votes the campaign banked early.
If Obama is losing Pasco by more than that Bush/Kerry margin by the time the first returns are posted, it could be a tough night for Obama in Florida.
"If you are looking for good news for Romney out of Pasco, if they have a 10- to 12-point lead in the absentee and early vote, that probably portends that they are going to have a really good night in suburban counties," said one top Florida Democrat.
King: The suburban vote and who votes in the swing states
A narrow and then a more global point:
• Watch the vote in the suburbs around Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio, and in northern Virginia. These are two early-closing states; if Romney is holding his own in the suburbs, we have a competitive night. If not, it could be effectively over before we get to the Central Time zone.
• Who votes determines who wins: The composition of the electorate in the swing states is the first and best clue. Does the electorate look like 2008?
If so, then Obama is likely on a path to victory. But if the percentage of African-American, Latino and younger voters is down just a bit -- and the electorate looks, say, more like the 2004 presidential election -- then Romney has a shot.
Preston: What happens afterward?
It goes without saying that we are all looking at turnout in the key battleground states -- can Romney and Obama get their respective bases to show up at the polls and at the same time, convincing the independent voters to vote for them?
What is piquing my interest is not only what happens in the next few hours but what will be the political climate for the next president-elect. Washington is already polarized, and there are great challenges facing Congress before the end of the year.
Whoever wins the presidency and the parties that control the House and the Senate need to put the bitterness of this election behind them and work together.
The big question: Can they do that?
Steinhauser: Can Romney broaden the electoral map?
This election will be won or lost in the battleground states. Or will it?
Romney's presidential campaign is making a last-minute push in two states that should be safe for Obama: Pennsylvania and Minnesota.
Romney campaigned in Pennsylvania on Sunday and goes back to the Keystone State on Election Day. Running mate Ryan campaigned in Pennsylvania on Saturday and in Minnesota on Sunday, and the campaign's up with ads in both states.
Is this a head fake by the Romney campaign, or does it see the tightening public opinion polls in both states as evidence it might be able to turn Pennsylvania and Minnesota from blue to red?
The Romney campaign says it's playing offense. The Obama campaign says the move is a sign of desperation by the Romney camp. We'll find out who's right on Election Night.
Yellin: Will voters send a clear message?
Have you heard? The early voter was this year's soccer mom -- the must-have vote both sides fought over.
Obama appears to have won most of the early vote but not at the same margins as 2008, leaving Team Romney a window it says it can pry open. Now it's about who turns out: Will the president recreate the same coalition as he did in 2008? This is a euphemism for how white the voters will be on Election Day. If enough Latinos and African-Americans vote, Obama gets a second term. If they don't, it's President Romney.
I'm not a fan of reading tea leaves to guess where this will end. Can't we wait till the votes are counted?
I'll be watching for what voters are saying at the ballot box. I know -- so old-fashioned. Will whoever becomes president have a mandate? And to do what?
In 2008, it was pretty clear that Americans wanted change -- a change from the Bush years. In 2010 -- the tea party midterms -- they wanted less spending, smaller government.
It's not clear what the mandate might be after this campaign. Do Americans want the government to do more or less to help with tough economic times?
The next president will confront tax reform and deficit reduction and changes to our health care system. These are huge issues that could prompt more gridlock in Washington -- unless there's a clear message from voters.
Do voters want compromise in Washington? If so, when it gets right down to it, are they willing to compromise on the issues that matter most to them -- debt or taxes or reforming Medicare? There's the rub.
Results: See the races as they are projected
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President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden look ahead to a second term and vowed to fight for equal opportunity for all.
Flags fluttered in Chicago as President Barack Obama delivered his victory speech after being reelected for a second term.
First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden hugged and will spend four more years in the public eye.
Red, white and blue confetti snowed down on President Barack Obama after a victory speech that promised brighter days ahead.
A supporter listened intently to President Barack Obama's victory speech in Chicago.
"We know in our hearts that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," President Obama said in a victory speech met by prolonged cheers.
President Barack Obama embraced Vice President Joe Biden after delivering his victory speech at McCormick Place in Chicago.
With first lady Michell Obama at his side, President Barack Obama gave the crowd a wave at an election night celebration in Chicago.
Children climbed trees outside the White House in Washington as people celebrated President Obama's victory at the polls.
A South Korean woman carried a cardboard cutout of Republican Mitt Romney at an election night party in Seoul. South Koreans watched the race closely.
President Barack Obama rode a wave of broad support from minorities, women and moderates to win re-election.
Emotion washed over an Obama supporter as the newly reeleted president deivered his victory speech in Chicago.
President Barack Obama embraced first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia moments before he delivered a rousing victory speech.
Obama supporters beamed and cheered as he delivered an inspiring and inclusive victory speech.
Victorious, President Barack Obama was joined onstage by first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia.
Young Obama supporters watched the president stride onto the stage to deliver his victory speech.
President Barack Obama clapped onstage in Chicago as the crowd cheered his reelection.
President Barack Obama walked onstage with first lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia to deliver his victory speech.
People gathered in Times Square in New York City and celebrated four more years in office for President Barack Obama.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney conceded and hugged his running mate, U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan, of Wisconsin.
People celebrated in front of the White House in Washington after Barack Obama won a second term as president.
Mitt Romney slowly walked offstage in Boston after conceding the election to President Barack Obama.
Republican candidate Mitt Romney hung his head and smiled as he strode onto the stage to give his concession speech.
Mitt Romney waved to a crowd of supporters before conceding the presidency.
Romney supporters sought comfort in each other as his chances for the presidency faded.
An Obama supporter clutched a flag and a smart phone at an election night rally in Chicago.
Obama supporters attentively watched televised election results at an election night event in Chicago.
A supporter checks his smart phone while he waits for Republican Mitt Romney to give his concession speech in Boston, Massachusetts.
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama embraced Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden moments after the election was called in their favor.
Keesha Patterson, left, proposed to Rowan Ha during a rally at Obama headquarters in Chicago. The women live in Maryland, where voters approved same-sex marriage.
Ajay Narayan cheered in Las Vegas, Nevada, as the election was called for President Obama.
Obama supporters celebrated the president's projected victory at a watch party at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.
A huge screen gave Obama supporters in Chicago plenty to cheer about: The president won a second term.
President Barack Obama's supporters were exuberant as the news got better and better on election night.
A dejected supporter of Republican candidate Mitt Romney slumped on the floor in Boston, Massachusetts.
President Obama's young supporters in Chicago cheered and waved flags.
The Empire State Building in New York City was lit in Democratic blue after President Obama won the hotly contested election.
A Romney supporter teared up as the presidency seemed to slip out of grasp.
Obama supporters in Chicago, his hometown, shared their joy at the president's projected victory.
Obama supporters raised their hands in victory at an election night watch party in Chicago.
Romney supporters in Boston were tearful and subdued as the numbers told a story they didn't want to hear.
A Romney supporter's bowed head and slumped shoulders revealed that it wasn't going to be the Republicans' night.
Big boards in Tampa reported results at an event sponsored by the Republican Party of Florida. 
Party-goers wearing 'Stars and Stripes' clothing awaited results at an election night party at the U.S. Embassy in London.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was photographed aboard his campaign plane Tuesday in Boston, Massachusetts.
Voter Sheresa Walker used a flashlight for poll worker Lloyd Edwards in a tent set up as a polling place in Queens, New York. The area is still reeling from Superstorm Sandy.
Shadows were cast on a wall next to a television advertising "Election Night 2012" inside the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, where Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was scheduled to speak Tuesday evening.
A volunteer prepared ballots at a polling station in San Francisco, California.
Justin Stucki, Leah Quirk, and Kenady Pettingill, left to right, urged drivers to vote for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Spanish Springs, Nevada.
A sign directed voters to the gymnasium at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke with journalists during the last flight of his presidential campaign.
Raena Lamont, 3, wore a Captain America costume at a polling center Tuesday in Staten Island, New York.
A voter cast his ballot Tuesday in Mansfield, Texas.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney took a break from last-minute campaigning to greet workers in Richmond Heights, Ohio.
A voter's bicycle leaned against a wall at a lifeguard station, home to a polling place in Hermosa Beach, California.
Voters walked past a plethora of campaign signs after casting their ballots at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Kansas City, Missouri.
Jesse James, whose home was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, prepared to vote in a makeshift tent set up as a polling place in Rockaway Park, a neighborhood in Queens, New York.
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney waved to supporters at Pittsburgh International Airport in Coraopolis, Pennsylvania.
Workers prepared for President Barack Obama's election night rally at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois.
A street scene was reflected in the window of a gift shop near the White House in Washington, DC.
Mike Wegart, 30, stood in line to vote at the Venice Beach lifeguard station in Los Angeles.
Obama supporter Tonya Lewis rallied for votes outside a polling station in Tampa, Florida.
Republican vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan left a campaign plane in Cleveland, Ohio.
President Obama greeted supporters outside a campaign office in Chicago.
A jogger on The Strand in the Los Angeles area community of Hermosa Beach passed a directional sign to a polling place at sunrise.
The stage was set for Obama's election night event in Chicago.
James Tate, 45, held a sign in support of the Republican ticket in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
A nun waited in line to cast her vote in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Children's books about politics lined a wall where citizens waited to cast their vote in Janesville, Wisconsin.
Volunteer David Bowser peeked outside the Pinellas County Democratic Party headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Election inspector Jim Nodorft prepared to hang the U.S. flag outside the Smelser Town Hall as polls opened at 7 a.m. in Georgetown, Wisconsin.
People headed to a polling station at Washington's Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library on Tuesday.
The sunrise was visible through a bus window on Election Day in Chicago.
Voters entered Washington Mill Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia, to cast their ballots Tuesday.
Rain did no deter voters from waiting in line in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Sunshine State -- with its 29 electoral votes -- was a key player in determining the next president.
A young girl peered out from under a voting booth as her mother cast a ballot at the Bishop Leo O'Neil Youth Center in Manchester, New Hampshire.
William Carpenter, an assistant fire chief, put up an election rules sign at the entrance of a firehouse polling station Tuesday in Port Royal, Virginia.
Poll worker David Smith used a tape measure to mark a boundary at a Bowling Green, Ohio, school to keep local politicians 100 feet away from where voters cast ballots.
Precinct official Bill Partlow inspected a voting machine before polls open Tuesday in Pineville, North Carolina.
Voters in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, waited shortly after midnight to cast the first Election Day ballots of the U.S. presidential race. For the first time in the village's history, there was a tie.
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