Election 2012 Missouri News, Results: Dems Roll—Obama Wins Presidency, Nixon and McCaskill Also Win

- - - Updated at 11:35 p.m. - - - 

Incumbent Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster announced he had received a concession call from Republican challenger Ed Martin. Koster also thanked the 400 or so employees at the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.

“My success tonight is completely a reflection of them and their dedication to the state we love,” Koster said.

- - - Updated at 11:30 p.m. - - - 

Peter Kinder, the Republican Lieutenant Governor of the State of Missouri, celebrated his election to a third term with supporters in Creve Coeur Tuesday night.

Kinder was doing a radio interview by phone with talk show host Dana Loesch just before 11 p.m. Tuesday when he received a call from his opponent, former State Auditor Susan Montee. He returned the call to Montee and praised her concession, acknowledging that it was not an easy one to make.

With 2577 of 3380 precincts reporting, Kinder maintained a 52.9-41.8 lead over Montee late Tuesday night.

- - - Updated at 11:15 p.m. - - - 

Incumbent Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced that Republican challenger Dave Spence called to concede the race.

“Today, people at the ballots put Missouri’s business above the political squabbling,” Nixon told a room packed with supporters at The Pageant on the Loop.

- - - Updated at 10:40 p.m. - - - 

President Barack Obama and Vice-President Joe Biden were re-elected Tuesday night, defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney and his vice-presidential running mate Rep. Paul Ryan. 

NBC News called the presidential election for Obama around 11:15 EST. The president sent a message on Twitter at 10:14 saying simply, "This happened because of you. Thank you."

- - - Updated at 10:20 p.m. - - - 

Democratic incumbent Clint Zweifel and Republican challenger Rep. Cole McNary faced off in the Nov. 6 election for the position of Missouri State Treasurer. 

As results came in Tuesday night, both candidates gathered with friends and family at St. Louis area watch parties.

Both parties tell Patch they knew it would be a close race.

- - - Udated at 10:20 p.m. - - - 

Several media outlets have called the presidential election in favor of President Barack Obama.

Obama is expected to take the podium shortly. No word yet on when or if Mitt Romney will deliver a concession speech.

- - - Updated at 9:55 p.m. - - - 

Mitt Romney won Missouri’s 10 electoral votes on Tuesday, defeating Democrat Barack Obama.

In the 2008 presidential election, the state voted for the Republican candidate, and since the 1990s has voted for the overall winner of the presidential race 4 out of 5 times.

- - - Updated at 9:45 p.m. - - - 

Todd Akin has conceded the U.S. Senate race to Sen. Claire McCaskill.

Multiple news outlets had projected victory for Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) in the U.S. Senate race in Missouri, signifying a defeat of Republican challenger Rep. Todd Akin.

With 20 percent of the precincts counted on the Missouri Secretary of State's website, unofficial results show McCaskill currently winning by more than 30,000 votes as of 9:15 p.m. Ballots are still being counted in Missouri.   

- - - Updated at 8:50 p.m. - - - 

Libertarian Party Missouri Governor candidate Jim Higgins predicts Jay Nixon will win a second term by a solid margin, Creve Coeur Patch reports.

A cheer went up in The Pageant, where Nixon is holding his Election Day viewing party, as race results showed Nixon leading Republican challenger Dave Spence.

What did he think about his Republican opponent, businessman Dave Spence? "Outside of claiming that he'd produce jobs,, he didn't really go into detail how he was going to do that so I don't think he was that strong of a candidate," Higgins said. 

Higgins said he's hoping for at least 5 percent of the vote in the race in hopes of getting more media exposure for the party down the line. 

- - - Updated at 8:30 p.m. - - - 

The conference room at the Doubletree Hotel in Chesterfield is now busy with activity as some Todd Akin supporters mingle and others simply sit waiting in anticipation. Supporters said they were attracted to what they called the "honor and integrity" of the U.S. Congressman.

"I just feel like he is just someone who doesn't back down if he feels he is doing right," said Brandi Pedersen. 

Concerning Akin's controversial comments on rape, Pedersen and others said the media had greatly overblown his comments. Arlan Sorrell said admitted that his treatment was heartrending and that it didn't diminish the values Akin holds. 

- - - Updated at 7:15 p.m. - - - 

Chesterfield Patch Editor Frank Johnson reports that Todd Akin's campaign press secretary Ryan Hite said he is feeling good about their Election Day efforts. Although he had no exit polls to report, he said he has "every indication" that momentum had surged in Akin's direction. 

"We had a lot of people at the polls and waving signs," he said. 

Akin has faced a significant financial disadvantage, but Hite said Akin overcome a similar challenge during his primary campaign. Hite believes Akin's messaging of limited government and faith-based politics will prove more decisive with Missouri voters. With the polls now closed, Missourians everywhere will soon find out. 

- - - Updated at 6:30 p.m. - - - 

A reader contacted Eureka-Wildwood Patch today because he was offended by what he considered "anti-abortion signs" and crosses erected at his polling place located at Assumption Parish Rectory, 4725 Mattis Road, St. Louis.

Darryl Brown, with the St. Louis County Board of Elections, said all electioneering signage must be 25 feet from the main entrance of polling places. He said he thought the signage sounded illegal.

- - - Updated at 5 p.m. - - - 

St. Charles Patch reports that several voting machines have jammed today in St. Charles County. 

Three or four machines were affected. Those ballots, instead, were put into a security slot on the side of the machine. Once the machine was fixed, a Democratic and Republican election judge manually fed all of those balltos into the machine so they can be read. 

- - - Updated at 4:20 p.m. - - - 

A candidate for a spot in the Missouri General Assembly saw something missing when he went to vote this morning in South St. Louis County: His own name on the ballot.

“They gave me the wrong ballot, and I caught that,” Burns said. “But what if I hadn’t caught it?” Bob Burns told Affton-Shrewsbury Patch. It is unclear how widespread a problem this has been. Burns was able to vote for himself eventually. But as Patch reported, that wasn't the only problem he had at the polls Tuesday. So far, Board of Elections officials have not been available for comment.

- - - Updated at 2:37 p.m. - - - 

Chesterfield Patch reports that St. Louis County Board of Elections officials will visit City Hall there to determine what, if any steps, need to be taken with regard to a proclamation from U.S. Representative Todd Akin that was spotted by a voter near the polling precinct. Election law requires no "electioneering" take place within a certain distance from a polling place. The document, appears to be several years old and is not a piece of campaign material.

Akin is on the ballot running for the U.S. Senate against Claire McCaskill.

- - - Updated at 2:07 p.m. - - - 

If voters keep Republicans in control of the Missouri General Assembly, a St. Louis County man will likely remain as the Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives. Rep. Tim Jones spoke with Eureka-Wildwood Patch upon voting Tuesday.

- - - Updated at 11:40 a.m. - - - 

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill and U.S. Rep. Todd Akin both cast their votes at polling places in Kirkwood and Wildwood, respectively, this morning. But it was the presidential election that had voters buzzing the most on Tuesday morning — and brought big crowds to many polling places around the region.

"This race is so close, every vote counts," Kathy Schuchandt of Town and Country tells Patch. "My vote has meaning."

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Akin and McCaskill, the two opponents in the Missouri senate race, showed up early at the polls. Akin told the crowd of gathered media that all the communication was done and that it was up to voters now.

Missouri's Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence showed up at the Ladue branch of the St. Louis County Library to cast his vote at about 7 a.m. A couple of supporters braved the cold weather outside the library handing out flyers in support. Spence said it was surreal to see his name on the ballot.

RELATED: Dave Spence Votes in Ladue

At Akin's polling place, a tweet from political reporter Kevin McDermott at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch says the spot was packed with people, including media, anticipating the U.S. Senate candidate's appearance to vote in Wildwood.

McDermott quoted Akin (via Twitter) after the congressman voted: "I have a good feeling about it ... The numbers are going to be close."

Polls are open now across the St. Louis, St. Charles and Jefferson county areas and will remain open until 7 p.m. Early tweets from around the region show there are some lines at polling places.

RELATED: How Long Was Your Wait at the Polls? Tell Us Here

After voting at King of Kings Lutheran Church in Chesterfield early Tuesday, Cole McNary, GOP candidate for Missouri treasurer, tweeted, "Just fought the long line in Chesterfield to cast my vote!"

Lines were reported out the door of polling places in Maplewood, Creve Coeur, the city of St. Louis and elsewhere. Patch reader DB reported being voter No. 95 at Maplewood City Hall this morning, where it took about 45 minutes to vote.

Rich Harder said it only took 25 to 30 minutes at the Pointe in Ballwin: "I think they are going to be sorry they didn't move it to the Gym though, since the line was snaking through the lobby."

Students who got the day off from the Rockwood School District got into the election day act, combining chocolate and voting. A group of students and parents planned to have a "chocolate stand" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. across from Fairway Elementary School in Wildwood. Proceeds will benefit the American Red Cross/Hurricane Sandy effort.

RELATED: When Will Election Results Be Announced in Missouri?