An Election Day to remember

7 a.m.

Georgia and South Carolina polls open

8:40 a.m.

The Obamas cast ballots as their two young daughters look on. The crowd breaks into applause when a smiling Mr. Obama holds up his validation slip and says, "I voted."

10:30 A.M.

Mr. Obama arrives at Indianapolis International Airport for his final campaign stop. He heads to the United Auto Workers Local 550 "Get Out the Vote" call center, where he takes calls from 13 voters. He stays about 45 minutes before flying back to Chicago, where he plays a late-afternoon basketball game with friends and staff before watching election returns at a hotel room.

6 P.M.

Polls close in parts of Kentucky, Indiana and New Hampshire.

6:30 P.M.

Cheering and screaming Obama supporters rush into Chicago's Grant Park after authorities let ticket holders in early for the Election Night rally.

7 P.M.

Polls close in Georgia and five other states, with 58 electoral votes at stake. Mr. McCain wins the first, gaining eight electoral votes in Kentucky.

7:30 P.M.

Polls close in the battleground states of Ohio and North Carolina, plus West Virginia, totaling 40 electoral votes.

7:58 P.M.

South Carolina gives Mr. McCain an early 11-3 lead.

8 P.M.

Polls close in 16 states (171 electoral votes); 12 are called seconds after they close.

8:05 P.M.

Mr. Obama leads 78-34 in the Electoral College tally.

8:30 P.M.

Arkansas polls close.

8:50 P.M.

Pennsylvania goes to Mr. Obama, giving him a 103-34 lead in electoral votes.

9 P.M.

Polls close in 15 states (159 electoral votes are at stake).

9:05 P.M.

Mr. Obama leads 140-37 (more than halfway to the 270 needed for a victory).

9:32 P.M.

Mr. McCain reels off the last of four states in a row to close the gap to 140-61.

9:40 P.M.

Ohio goes for Mr. Obama with its 20 electoral votes, becoming the first of eight states that voted for President Bush in 2004 to go for Mr. Obama.

10 P.M.

Polls in four states close; Mr. Obama wins Iowa, while Mr. McCain gets Utah.

10:24 P.M.

With Texas called for Mr. McCain, the GOP candidate has pulled within 53 electoral votes, but Mr. Obama is just more than 100 away from victory.

10:47 P.M.

Virginia goes for Mr. Obama, marking the first time since 1972 the state went for a Democrat and making it the fourth state to flip from Mr. Bush in 2004.

10:58 P.M.

Florida flips for Mr. Obama, giving the Democratic nominee a 212-120 lead as the West Coast polls are about to close.

11 P.M.

Polls close in five states: California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Hawaii. Seconds later, all but Idaho are called for Mr. Obama, giving him 298 electoral votes and the presidency.

11:09 P.M.

Mr. McCain calls Mr. Obama to concede.

11:30 P.M.

Speaking from outside the Arizona Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Mr. McCain says: "It's natural tonight to feel some disappointment. Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours."

11:50 P.M.

Mr. McCain wins his home state of Arizona, as the electoral votes stand at 303-142 with six states still to be called.

MIDNIGHT

President-elect Obama takes the stage at Grant Park, where more than 100,000 people are gathered.