Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has the opportunity to win up to half of the 50 states, and that's without the critical swing states.
Currently based on multiple polling averages collected by Real Clear Politics, Romney has at least 22 states that could go in his favor.
The 22 states likely to go for Romney tonight are Alabama (with 9 Electoral College votes), Alaska (3), Arizona (11), Arkansas (6), Georgia (16), Indiana (11), Kansas (6), Kentucky (8), Louisiana (8), Mississippi (6), Missouri (10), Montana (3), Nebraska (4), North Dakota (3), Oklahoma (7), South Carolina (9), South Dakota (3), Tennessee (11), Texas (38), Utah (6), West Virginia (5), and Wyoming (3).
In addition, there is an one more electoral vote from Nebraska District 2. According to Real Clear Politics (RCP), Nebraska "allocates its electoral college votes by congressional district." Adding, "The district comprises Omaha and its suburbs, and contains most of Nebraska's small African American population."
RCP calculated Romney to have 191 votes from the Electoral College, without the swing states. RCP currently has 11 states categorized as swing states that could sway for Romney once polling booths close tonight.
The swing states are Colorado (9), Florida (29), Iowa (6), Michigan (16), Nevada (6), New Hampshire (4), North Carolina (15), Ohio (18), Pennsylvania (20), Virginia (13), and Wisconsin (10), combine offers 146 votes, more than enough to go over the needed 270 Electoral votes to elected president.
All 11 swing states went for President Obama in 2008 but three of the swing states are more than likely to go for Romney tonight based on new polling data.
First, Florida, which Obama narrowly won with a 2.8 percent margin against Arizona Senator John McCain in 2008, now has Romney averaging 1.5 percent on RCP.
The Gravis Marketing poll in the Sunshine currently has each candidate tied at 49 percent among the 1,060 likely voters surveyed.
Second state to likely go for Romney is North Carolina. Obama won the state with a 0.3 percent lead in 2008 but now has Romney averaging a lead of three percent ahead of the president.
The Gravis Marketing poll in North Carolina has Romney leading with 50 percent to Obama's 46 percent when surveying 1,130 likely voters.
The third state that could go for Romney is Virginia, which Obama won with a 6.3 percent lead. Rasmussen Reports currently has Romney leading by two percent with the former governor receiving 50 percent to Obama's 48 percent, however polls such as Public Policy Polling and a joint NBC, Wall Street Journal, and Marist College poll has Obama ahead of Romney.
Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia, combined, offers 57 Electoral votes, and giving Romney a total of 248 Electoral votes when including the 191 votes. Securing a combination of Ohio (18) or Pennsylvania (20) with a state like New Hampshire (4), could give Romney the victory and enough to surpass 270 votes.
Florida and Virginia polls close at 7 p.m. EST while North Carolina closes thirty minutes later. The course of the election be determined if the three states vote for the same candidate.
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