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| Voters head to polls in Virginia, New Jersey and New York | Voters head to polls in Virginia, New Jersey and New York |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Voters in the US are heading to the polls in the first major round of elections since President Barack Obama won a second term one year ago. | Voters in the US are heading to the polls in the first major round of elections since President Barack Obama won a second term one year ago. |
| In New Jersey and Virginia, voters will pick governors. | In New Jersey and Virginia, voters will pick governors. |
| New York City will choose a successor to three-term Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican-turned-independent. | New York City will choose a successor to three-term Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a Republican-turned-independent. |
| Tuesday's races are seen as an early test of the Republican and Democratic parties' strengths ahead of next year's critical congressional elections. | Tuesday's races are seen as an early test of the Republican and Democratic parties' strengths ahead of next year's critical congressional elections. |
| New York mayor | New York mayor |
| In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota, a former senior official in the mayoral administrations of Mr Bloomberg and his predecessor Rudolph Giuliani. | In New York City, Democratic mayoral candidate Bill de Blasio has taken a commanding lead in opinion polls over Republican Joe Lhota, a former senior official in the mayoral administrations of Mr Bloomberg and his predecessor Rudolph Giuliani. |
| Mr de Blasio, the city's public advocate, ran Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign. He is seen as one of the most liberal mayoral candidates in decades. | Mr de Blasio, the city's public advocate, ran Hillary Clinton's 2000 Senate campaign. He is seen as one of the most liberal mayoral candidates in decades. |
| Under Mr Bloomberg, Mr Lhota ran the city's public transport authority. He was lauded for quickly getting the vast subway system running again after a huge storm, Sandy, flooded swathes of the city last year. | |
| New Jersey governor | New Jersey governor |
| In New Jersey, incumbent Republican Governor Chris Christie is expected to win re-election handily. | In New Jersey, incumbent Republican Governor Chris Christie is expected to win re-election handily. |
| His Democratic challenger, state Senator Barbara Buono, has struggled to gain traction. | His Democratic challenger, state Senator Barbara Buono, has struggled to gain traction. |
| Analysts say Mr Christie's popularity with voters in Democratic-leaning New Jersey makes him a contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, because it could enable him to claim broad political appeal. | Analysts say Mr Christie's popularity with voters in Democratic-leaning New Jersey makes him a contender for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, because it could enable him to claim broad political appeal. |
| Mr Christie, 51, was already a popular figure when Sandy devastated the state's coastline a year ago. His response to the storm attracted national attention. | Mr Christie, 51, was already a popular figure when Sandy devastated the state's coastline a year ago. His response to the storm attracted national attention. |
| He has been campaigning across the state since last week, even as polls suggested he had an advantage of at least 20 points on Ms Buono. | He has been campaigning across the state since last week, even as polls suggested he had an advantage of at least 20 points on Ms Buono. |
| While many in New Jersey support her positions, she has had difficulty raising money, even from Democrats, because of her relatively low profile. | While many in New Jersey support her positions, she has had difficulty raising money, even from Democrats, because of her relatively low profile. |
| Virginia governor | Virginia governor |
| The Virginia governor race pits Democrat Terry McAuliffe against Republican Ken Cuccinelli. | The Virginia governor race pits Democrat Terry McAuliffe against Republican Ken Cuccinelli. |
| Mr McAuliffe is a businessman and veteran Democratic party fundraiser. He has close ties to former President Bill Clinton and Mrs Clinton, serving as chairman of her 2008 presidential campaign. | Mr McAuliffe is a businessman and veteran Democratic party fundraiser. He has close ties to former President Bill Clinton and Mrs Clinton, serving as chairman of her 2008 presidential campaign. |
| Mr Cuccinelli, the Virginia attorney general, has angled for the support of the hardcore conservative Tea Party movement of Republicans. | Mr Cuccinelli, the Virginia attorney general, has angled for the support of the hardcore conservative Tea Party movement of Republicans. |
| Mr McAuliffe, who has raised much more money, has sought to link Mr Cuccinelli to last month's partial shutdown of the federal government, which was brought about by Republicans in Washington DC. | Mr McAuliffe, who has raised much more money, has sought to link Mr Cuccinelli to last month's partial shutdown of the federal government, which was brought about by Republicans in Washington DC. |
| Virginia, long a Republican stronghold, has seen a demographic shift in recent years. Mr Obama, a Democrat, won the state in the last two presidential elections. | Virginia, long a Republican stronghold, has seen a demographic shift in recent years. Mr Obama, a Democrat, won the state in the last two presidential elections. |
| The results of Tuesday's polls could prove an early measure of the parties' support ahead of the midterm elections of 2014, which will decide the make-up of the House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, and the governorships in more than half the states. | The results of Tuesday's polls could prove an early measure of the parties' support ahead of the midterm elections of 2014, which will decide the make-up of the House of Representatives, one-third of the Senate, and the governorships in more than half the states. |
| In Washington, Mr Obama's Democratic party controls the Senate, while the Republicans hold sway in the House of Representatives. Now in his second term, Mr Obama will vacate the presidency in 2017. | In Washington, Mr Obama's Democratic party controls the Senate, while the Republicans hold sway in the House of Representatives. Now in his second term, Mr Obama will vacate the presidency in 2017. |