A number of exciting races took place across the Tri-State Tuesday, but it was the presidential vote that ultimately drew many people to the polls for Election 2008.

Voters had some concerns in common, while other issues separated them. But the bottom line was they wanted their voices to be heard.

In West Virginia and Kentucky, The Associated Press declared Sen. John McCain the winner, earning about 55 percent of the popular vote in each state. Sen. Barack Obama was declared the winner in Ohio, earning about 52 percent of the popular vote. No Republican has ever won the presidency without Ohio.

Late Tuesday evening, the popular vote was in Obama's favor by about a million, but he dominated in the Electoral College.

Obama held the lead Tuesday, but Tri-State voters mostly went to McCain according to early returns and exit polling from The Associated Press.

R.D. Campbell of Cannonsburg, Ky., said he made his decision for president based on the "situation the country is in, and the way it's heading," he said. And he voted for Republican candidate John McCain.

"We need someone with experience and maturity to get us heading in the right direction," Campbell said Tuesday afternoon. Democrat Barack Obama is a viable option, he said, but doesn't have enough experience for the long journey that the country has ahead of it, Campbell said.

He said he's just glad that the election is over. It seems like years that candidates have been campaigning, and it's gotten too negative.

"I'm glad it's over," Campbell said. "It's time to focus on what we have to do. We have serious issues overseas and a lot of things here that the president has to do."

To Marshall graduate student Emily Mervine of Huntington, Obama was a clear choice. She did her research before the primary and put her support behind him early on, she said. And at Obama's recent campaign rally in Portsmouth, her decision was reaffirmed after seeing how he campaigned so tirelessly.

"He rolls up his sleeves and gets to it, and you can't help, when you hear him, but think that this is someone who represents hope and change, and someone we can believe in."

He speaks with eloquence that is also approachable, she said.

"He doesn't speak over our heads," she said Tuesday afternoon. "...I just hope we have record turnout and that the 18-to-25 vote counts, and that people listen to us. We are the future, quite literally."

Sherrie Riffe of Huntington said she's going to do a lot of praying, whoever wins.

"I voted for McCain because of his views on abortion and same-sex marriage," she said. When she learned that this president could have a critical role in choosing new Supreme Court Justices, "I thought, as a Christian, I have to step forward and make my voice known."

She said she decided to vote for him because of those social issues, and pray for him to make wise decisions on other issues.

"For this country to improve, it's going to have to turn to God," she said.

To Joseph Rawls of Huntington, the best candidate wasn't even an option on Tuesday.

"I wanted Mrs. Clinton. She's got more experience than either of those knuckleheads," he said. "I know we can't put a Republican in there, and Obama -- I don't know too much about him. He doesn't have a lot of experience."

Still, he said Tuesday afternoon that he was likely to go ahead and vote for Obama because Obama is a Democrat.

Obama was, however, an obvious choice for Amanda Dean of Winfield because, simply put, "It's time for a change," she said.

Dean researched the candidates by going online and seeing how they responded to a list of questions. But she's tired of all the mudslinging and glad to see Election Day pass. "We've been hearing about this for a year and a half," she said.

It was exciting, though, to vote in an election that would either put the first female vice president or the first black president in office, Dean said.

"Either way, we need somebody who's going to get us out of this economic hole," she said.

National Video