After the difficult fiasco of 2000 where thousands of people were unsure if their votes were even counted and a winner was not officially declared for weeks after Election Day, voter turnout has been very high throughout the United States today. Long lines have been reported at polling places in swing states and throughout the country as voters try to make sure their vote counts.

In 2000, legal challenges to the results went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and took over a month to resolve. This year, both President Bush and Senator Kerry have already assembled teams of lawyers to provide possible challenges to results long before the polls have even closed.

Record numbers of new voters and young voters have also registered for this election and are expected to turnout as well although it is not certain how that will affect the outcome.

'I feel my vote does count,' one voter said at a college campus polling place. 'I don't want it left behind.'

The large turnout is not only important in the race for the White House but in the battle to see which party controls both houses of Congress. Republicans held a slim 51-48 majority in the Senate with one independent holding office.

Regardless of the outcome, both President Bush and Senator Kerry have to be relieved that the long battle is finally over. After tonight, one candidate will prepare for four years running the country, while the other will return home. The question remains, which one.