Voters across the United States are flocking to polling stations to choose a new president. Republican John McCain is attempting to defy the opinion polls while Democrat Barack Obama is seeking to become the country's first black president. Mr Obama and Mr McCain voted in their respective home cities of Chicago, Illinois, and Phoenix, Arizona. Record numbers were expected to turn out, ad More.. ding their ballots to the 29 million who have voted early. Some 130 million Americans are expected to vote, in a higher turnout than in any election since 1960, the BBC's North America editor Justin Webb says. Midnight vote Mr Obama and his wife arrived at a polling station in Chicago with their two daughters. "When polls close, the journey ends but voting with my daughters, that was a big deal," he said afterward. His later went to Indiana for one last campaign appearance. After casting his ballot in Phoenix, Mr McCain ignored questions from journalists. His running-mate Sarah Palin voted in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, and told reporters that she was hoping to wake up on Wednesday as vice-president elect. Senator Hillary Clinton, Mr Obama's former rival for the Democratic nomination, said on Tuesday that it would be "a big win" for the Illinois senator. She was speaking outside a polling station in Chappaqua, New York. In the first voting of the day, Mr Obama won by 15 votes to six in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. The hamlet, which has a 60-year tradition of being first in the nation to vote, opened its polls at midnight, with a 100%turnout. It was the first time the town had voted for a Democrat since 1968. Emotional There are also elections to renew the entire US House of Representatives and a third of US Senate seats. Democrats are expected to expand majorities in both chambers. They need to gain nine Senate seats to reach a 60-seat majority that would give them extra legislative power. On Monday, ...