(CNN) — The Ohio loss is a crushing blow to McCain. A senior-level GOP official tells me it's over. He's done.

There is no way he can win without Ohio, that was his last hope.

(CNN) — President Bush, who was able to carry Ohio twice, most certainly stopped John McCain from doing so.

More than 70 percent of voters in the state said they disapproved of Bush's job performance and those voters broke for Barack Obama by a 70-30 margin. Of the 48 percent of voters in Ohio who said McCain would carry on with Bush's policies, 92 percent voted for Obama.

It was only late in the campaign (the third presidential debate) that McCain began to forcefully criticize the president. It appears he should have done that much earlier.

(CNN) — A power outage briefly delayed voting in Akron, in the battleground state of Ohio Tuesday. Summit county Board of Elections director Marijean Donofrio says the power went out at two polling places, a school and a community center for about 20 minutes for an unknown reason. Donofrio says election officials were able to restore electricity using a generator. She says turnout in the county has been heavy but voters in line at the times the polls closed at 7:30pm would be eligible to vote.

(CNN) — With voters turning out in record numbers, voting rights advocates in Ohio say they have received thousands of reports of problems with provisional ballots across the state Tuesday. Voters in Columbus and Cleveland registered the most complaints. Pam Wilmot from Common Cause said provisional ballots could "play a significant role in the outcome of today's election."

Ohio relies heavily on provisional ballots which are issued to a voter for a myriad of reasons but the top three are the voter's name not appearing on the registration rolls, a voter showing up in the wrong precinct, or problems with the voter's form of identification.

Patrick Galloway, spokesman for the Ohio Secretary of State says his office has gotten complaints about the number of provisional ballots being issued. He says the Secretary of State's office has "provided direction to the (state's county election) boards to get the word to their provisional judges at polling locations on how to make sure votes are accurately cast."

Steve Hartsman, director of the Montgomery County Ohio Board of Elections which includes Dayton estimates that by time polls close, voters will have cast 12,000-18,000 provisional ballots in his county Tuesday. Hartsman says Montgomery county typically sees 10,000 provisional ballots cast, but he points to record high numbers of voters. Hartsman says more than 300,000 votes will be cast in Montgomery county. In 2004, 279,000 votes were cast.

Voter turnout is high in Cleveland as well. Kim Bartlett of the Cuyahoga Board of Elections says as of 6pm a random sampling of 44 precincts in her county shows that voter turnout is at 56.07%, which she characterizes as high.

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A voter in Cincinnati sits while filling out his ballot because all of the official voting stations were full.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (CNN) — Some judges at polling precincts in Ohio were issuing provisional ballots in error because they were confused about whether state drivers' licenses with outdated addresses could be used as proof of identification, Hamilton County Board of Elections Director Sally Krisel confirmed Tuesday.

"They are nervous, so they have them vote by provisional ballot," Krisel said of the judges who were not aware of an Ohio law that mandates that drivers' licenses can be used as proof of identification and address, even if the address does not match the voter's current address.

Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Community Outreach coordinator Kim Bartlett says the same thing is occurring in her county.

"If I move, I'm not required to get a new drivers license with a new address, she explained Tuesday. "Licenses are good for four years, even if they don't have a valid address, its still considered valid proof of ID."

Both the Hamilton County and Cuyahoga County Board of Elections say they were engaged in outreach efforts throughout election day to explain the rules on provisional ballots to confused poll workers.

Ohio State University law professor said he had also heard some complaints about voters being forced to use the provisional ballot but it was too early to tell if this was a systematic, statewide problem.

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(CNN) – On the eve of Election Day, amid overwhelming public interest in the presidential race, some voters are being confronted with a sea of election-related misinformation.

Sheila Robinson, a resident of Dayton, Ohio, tells CNN that she received a robo call at her home Monday. The call informed her that Republicans would be voting on November 4 in this year’s general election, and Democrats would be voting on November 5.

That information is incorrect. The Ohio Secretary of State’s Web site is clear: Everyone in Ohio votes Tuesday, November 4.

Laura Jordan of the Montgomery County, Ohio Board of Elections, says she has not received reports of any calls like the one Robinson received. But Jordan also tells CNN that she has received reports of misleading automated calls giving voters incorrect information about the location of their polling places. Voters who call the county board reporting these types of calls are told the correct location for their polling place, according to Jordan.

If you live in Ohio, click here for voter information from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Web site.

CNN will be tracking voter problems through Election Day. If you have a problem or see a problem, call the CNN Voter Hotline at 877-462-6608. See what issues are a concern in each state by clicking on the interactive Hotline map at cnn.com/hotline.

New gains for Obama on the CNN Electoral Map.

(CNN) — If Barack Obama is betting on Nevada, he may find a pleasant payoff. A new poll suggests that the Democratic presidential candidate is widening his lead there.

That's contributing to an increase in territory for Obama in CNN's Electoral College Map. The map estimates what would occur if the election were held today, by reviewing state polls, voting trends, campaign visits and advertising.

In the Nevada survey — one of five CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation state polls released Thursday morning — 52 percent of likely voters say Obama is their choice for president, with 45 percent backing John McCain. That seven-point lead is up from a five-point advantage Obama held in a poll taken one week ago.

Nevada narrowly voted for George W. Bush in the last two presidential contests.

"Obama is racking up support among blue collar voters in Nevada," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Two weeks ago, he had a six-point lead among people with no college degree. Now he has a 23-point lead over McCain among that group. If the unions are making a big push for Obama in Nevada, it seems to be working."

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Sen. Obama gave what his campaign calls his closing argument of his presidential bid during a speech in Canton, Ohio Monday.

Note: On Monday, October 27, Sen. Barack Obama delivered what his campaign called a “closing argument speech” in Canton, Ohio. The CNN Truth Squad looked at Obama’s "closing argument" speech and one McCain delivered Friday, October 23, in Sarasota, Florida.  To help sort out the reality from the rhetoric, a transcript of the speech is reproduced in full below with links to related Fact Checks from the CNN Truth Squad.

. . . .

After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one week away from change in America.

In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In one week, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need.

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Sen. McCain and Gov. Palin campaigned recently in Ohio.

LIMA, Ohio (CNN) — It all came down to Ohio in the last presidential election, and a new average of the latest polls in this crucial battleground state indicates that the state is once again up for grabs.

George W. Bush's narrow victory in Ohio four years ago put the President over the top in his bid for re-election. This time around, Ohio could be just as crucial to the outcome of the race for the White House.

A CNN poll of polls compiled Saturday afternoon suggests that Barack Obama has a five-point lead in Ohio, 49 percent to 44 percent, with 7 percent of voters undecided in their choice for president.

This new edition of CNN's Ohio poll of polls consists of five surveys, an Ohio Newspaper poll conducted October 18-22, a Quinnipiac survey taken October 16-21, a CNN/Time/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted October 19-21, a Suffolk University survey taken October 16-19, and an NBC/Mason Dixon poll conducted October 16-17.

Senator Barack Obama, D-Illinois, was up by 7 points over Senator John McCain, R-Arizona, in the previous CNN Ohio poll of olls, which was compiled on October 23.

Both candidates, their running mates, and their surrogates, are spending a lot of time campaigning in Ohio. And Ohio voters are getting inundated with campaign television commercials. The McCain and Obama campaigns have spent a combined estimated $29 million in advertising in Ohio this election cycle.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Supreme Court is backing Ohio elections officials in an ongoing dispute over allegations of voter registration fraud.

The justices in an unsigned opinion Friday blocked a lower court order directing the Ohio Secretary of State– a Democrat– to update its voter registration database after information provided by some newly registered voters did not match up with Social Security and driver registration numbers.

The state Republican party had asked for enforcement of a temporary restraining order, but the justices ultimately denied that request.

The federal appeal court ruling in Ohio on voter registration is a legal victory for the Republican Party.

(CNN) — A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered Ohio's secretary of state to establish a system to verify hundreds of thousands of newly registered voters by Friday.

Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner also has to make the eligibility information available to all 88 county election boards and use government records to check for voter registration fraud.

Nine of the 16 members of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with an opinion that upheld a lower court's ruling in the lawsuit filed by the Ohio Republican Party against Brunner.

Full story

Palin visited the crucial battleground state of Ohio Sunday.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE, Ohio (CNN) — At a campaign rally designed to reflect the pastoral beauty of the heartland in autumn — with a stage set up in a red barn overlooking a sweeping field and piles of pumpkins — Sarah Palin warned the audience about the threat of terrorism, and explained that the Republican ticket should be elected because “we know who the bad guys are.”

“Help me, Ohio, to help put John McCain in the White House,” she said. “He understands. He understands you. We understand how important it is that this team be elected. For one thing, we know who the bad guys are, OK?”

That statement elicited scattered shouts of “Obama!” throughout the crowd.

“We know that in the war, it’s terrorists, terrorists who hate America and her allies and would seek to destroy us, and the bad guys are those who would support and sympathize with the terrorists,” she said. “They do not like America because of what we stand for. Liberty. Freedom. Equal rights. Those who sympathize and support those terrorists who would seek to destroy all that it is that we value, those are the bad guys, OK?”

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McCain is keeping the race close in Ohio.

(CNN) – Pennsylvania may be slipping from John McCain’s grasp, but the Republican nominee is keeping the race close in the neighboring battleground state of Ohio – a state that no successful GOP presidential contender has failed to win.

CNN's new Ohio poll of polls shows Barack Obama leading McCain by three points, 49 to 46 percent. Five percent of the state’s voters were unsure about their presidential pick.

The network’s last Ohio poll of polls, released October 9, showed Obama leading McCain by four points, 50 to 46 percent. In the September 21 poll of polls, Obama led McCain by a single point, 47 to 46 percent.

Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin is slated to stop in Ohio Sunday — the third time on the past week week the GOP ticket has visited the state.

Map the candidates' path through the swing states with CNN's Election Tracker

The Ohio general election "poll of polls" consists of four surveys: Ohio Newspaper Poll/University of Cincinnati (October 4-8), ARG (October 4-7), CNN/Time/ORC (October 3-6) and ABC/Washington Post (October 3-5). The poll of polls does not have a sampling error.

Sen. Obama is ahead in four states and nationally in Wednesday's CNN polls of polls.

(CNN) – CNN’s latest polls of polls show Barack Obama leading John McCain in Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida — but slipping slightly nationally and in Florida, losing one point in each.

In CNN’s first Nevada poll of polls, Obama leads McCain by 3 percentage points. The Illinois senator has the support of 49 percent of likely voters in Nevada, while 46 percent support the Arizona senator. Five percent of likely voters in Nevada are unsure about their choice for president.

In CNN’s latest Ohio poll of polls, Obama has increased his advantage over McCain. In Ohio, Obama is now ahead of McCain by five percentage points with support from 50 percent of likely voters in the state compared to support from 45 percent for McCain. Five percent of likely voters in the state are unsure about who they prefer. In CNN’s September 21 Ohio poll of polls, Obama was ahead of McCain by a single point – 47 percent versus 46 percent.

In Pennsylvania, Obama has also increased his advantage. CNN’s October 3 Pennsylvania poll of polls showed Obama ahead by 10 percentage points – 51 percent versus 41 percent. In the new Pennsylvania poll of polls released Tuesday, Obama is ahead by 12 points. The Democratic nominee has the support of 52 percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania, while the Republican nominee has the support of 40 percent of likely voters. In Pennsylvania. Eight percent of likely voters are unsure about their choice for president.

Nationally, Obama leads McCain by four points in CNN’s latest national poll of polls. Forty-eight percent of voters support Obama while 44 percent support McCain; 8 percent of voters aren’t sure about who they support. In CNN’s October 7 national poll of polls, Obama was ahead by 5 percentage points – 49 percent for Obama and 44 percent for McCain.

Obama has also lost a point in CNN's latest Florida poll of polls. Forty-nine percent of likely voters in Florida support Obama, 45 percent support McCain, and 6 percent are unsure about who they support for president. In CNN's October 2 Florida poll of polls Obama was ahead of McCain by five points — 49 percent to Obama's 44 percent.

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Obama makes major gains on the new CNN Electoral Map.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Polls in five key battleground states in the race for the White House released Tuesday suggest that Sen. Barack Obama is making major gains.

The CNN/Time Magazine/Opinion Research Corporation polls of likely voters in Indiana, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio and Wisconsin reflect a significant nationwide shift toward the Democratic presidential nominee.

Check out the latest CNN Electoral Map

In Indiana, 51 percent of likely voters say Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, is their choice for president, with 46 percent backing Obama. Indiana went for George W. Bush by 21 points four years ago; the Democrats have not carried the state since 1964.

Obama has made significant strides in New Hampshire, a state which is credited with reviving McCain’s GOP primary campaign in both 2000 and 2008. Fifty-three percent of the state’s likely voters are backing Obama, while 45 percent are supporting McCain. Obama’s eight-point lead is larger than the five-point lead held by Obama in the last CNN New Hampshire poll taken in the beginning of September.

Bush squeezed out a slender one-point win in the state in 2000 — but four years ago, John Kerry narrowly carried the one-time GOP stronghold.

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New state polls show Obama with clear leads.

(CNN) – New polls released Wednesday morning suggest the race for the White House could be breaking for Barack Obama in three key battleground states.

Just-released Quinnipiac University surveys show Obama with wide leads in Pennsylvania and Ohio, as well as Florida — the showdown state in the 2000 presidential race where John McCain has had held an advantage for most of the summer.

The latest poll results are bad news for McCain as Election Day inches closer and just may be the clearest sign yet the nation's ongoing financial crisis is taking its toll on the Arizona senator's candidacy.

"It is virtually impossible for McCain to win the White House without Florida and Ohio," CNN Senior Political Researcher Alan Silverleib said. "The financial crisis is playing right into Obama's message of change, and putting the GOP on the defensive all across the electoral map."

Election Center: Check out CNN's electoral map breakdown

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Watch Biden's event on CNN.com/live.

(CNN) — Joe Biden is delivering a speech on national security in Cincinnati, Ohio this hour.

Watch the event on CNN.com/live

Earlier: Biden to hammer McCain on national security

Biden will get tough on McCain later Tuesday.

(CNN) — Joe Biden is set to give what the Obama campaign is calling a major speech on national security in Ohio at 11 a.m. ET.

"This week, John talked about the judgment required to be Commander in Chief. He's right: nothing is more important than judgment. But time and again, on the most critical national security issues of our time, John McCain's judgment was wrong," Biden will say according to excerpts of the speech released by the campaign.

Read excerpts of Biden's speech after the jump

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McCain holds razor-thin leads in three battleground states.

(CNN) — Barack Obama may have regained a more solid footing over John McCain in the national polls, but in the key battleground states where the race will likely be decided, the two presidential contenders could hardly be closer

With six weeks to go until Election Day, just released CNN poll of polls out of Florida and Ohio, as well as a new survey out of Missouri, suggest the race for the White House just may be headed for a photo finish.

In the new CNN Florida poll of polls, comprised of four recent surveys of the state, McCain holds a razor-thin 1-point lead, 47-46 percent. The Republican presidential nominee had held a healthier margin there for most of the summer, though Obama has aggressively targeted Sunshine State voters on the airwaves by a margin of more than eight to one when it comes to ad spending. CNN considers the state a "tossup" in its electoral map breakdown.

CNN Election Center: Check out CNN's electoral map

A new CNN poll of polls in Ohio also shows McCain with a 1-point margin (47-46 percent) in that key Midwestern state, which no Republican presidential aspirant has lost and gone on to win the White House. The Ohio poll of polls, consisting of three recent surveys, also shows more than 7 percent of Ohioans still have not made up their minds. The Buckeye state is considered a tossup in the CNN electoral map.

The CNN poll of polls in Florida and Ohio do not carry sampling errors.

A new Research 2000 poll out of Missouri was also released Sunday, showing McCain with a four point lead there (49-45 percent). The perennial bellwether state that has voted for the eventual winner in all but one presidential election since 1904 chose President Bush over John Kerry by a 6-point margin in 2004 and picked Bush over Al Gore by a 4-point margin in 2000. The Research 2000 poll, which carries a sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points, also shows 6 percent remain undecided there. CNN considers Missouri as leaning toward McCain in its electoral map.

Earlier: Obama holds small lead in Michigan

The latest CNN national poll of polls meanwhile shows Obama with a 3 point lead over McCain.

CINCINNATI, Ohio (CNN) Pulling up to the Election Express: Bobby Hilton, a pastor with a radio show show in Cincinnati. He says he was listening to CNN on his car radio, heard “Ballot Bowl” and decided to come look for us.

What are his listeners talking about? No mystery here.: the economy. Ohio’s unemployment is higher than the national average at 7.4 percent. “People are hurting”, he says and they want to hear more from the candidates.

Hilton is a Barack Obama supporter. He says he’s glad to hear Obama talk about helping Main Street. But, Hilton says, he still isn’t convinced he is hearing enough specifics from either candidate. What’s his reaction to the Wall Street crisis? “Shock”. But he says Cincinnati has been feeling the ripple effects of a weak economy for some time.