CNN

Minnesota Republican Sen. Norm Coleman faces a strong challenge from Democrat Al Franken.

(CNN) – Democrats have a chance of taking filibuster-proof control of the U.S. Senate as Election Day dawns, late polls show.

hey'll need to add nine seats to their current roster of 51 (49 Democrats and two independents allied with them) to gain the three-fifths majority that will enable them to invoke cloture, a device to end filibusters, the unlimited floor speeches by an opponent that can prevent legislation from coming up for a vote.

Of the 35 Senate seats on the line this year, 23 are held by Republicans. Five Republican senators are retiring: Pete Domenici of New Mexico, Wayne Allard of Colorado, John Warner of Virginia, Larry Craig of Idaho and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.

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Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, said Democrats have a good shot at reaching a 60-seat majority.

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