IOWA CITY, Iowa — Barely had the confetti stopped swirling on Election Night when the recriminations began. The howls of anger and pain from the political right almost drowned out the roars of jubilation from relieved and excited liberals. The challenger, Mitt Romney, was not conservative enough, they fumed. No, he was too conservative. It was his constant policy ballet that doomed his candidacy. No, Romney was too entrenched in unpopular positions to appeal to a wide enough swath of the public.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Election Day dawned bright and beautiful here — a crisp fall day under a cloudless blue sky. According to poll workers, there were lines in the early morning — before the polls opened at 6:30 a.m. But by noon the business of voting was proceeding smoothly and steadily in this residential neighborhood in northeast Columbus. There were no signs of the long lines reported at Ohio State University and in other areas of the capital.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohioans may be forgiven for thinking that they are the only game in town as Election Day nears. Now, allegations are swirling that Ohio votes will be counted using experimental software, maintained by a firm with ties to Romney.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Once again, it could all come down to Florida. There is, arguably, no greater plum for the candidates at this point than the hotly contested Sunshine State, whose 29 Electoral College votes could put Barack Obama over the top or relieve Mitt Romney of the necessity of sweeping multiple smaller states. Romney resumed his campaign there on Wednesday with three stops in Tampa, Jacksonville and Coral Gables. He talked up his economic expertise and said it was time for a "new course," but refrained from direct attacks upon the president, who was still dealing with the aftermath of Sandy.