US election outlook: Still counting ...

Ohio (president): Senator John Kerry conceded Ohio after President George W. Bush built a lead of more than 130,000 votes. About 150,000 provisional ballots remain to be examined.

New Mexico (president): Bush held a slim lead with thousands of absentee votes still to be counted. The state's governor and secretary of state are both Democrats.

Iowa (president): Bush held a slim lead with several thousand absentee and provisional votes still to be counted.

Florida (Senate): Democrat Betty Castor conceded to Republican Mel Martinez, who held a 1-point lead with as many as 200,000 absentee and provisional ballots still to be counted.

Alaska (Senate): Republican incumbent Lisa Murkowski beat Democrat Tony Knowles, with thousands of mail-in absentee ballots still to be counted.

Washington (governor): Democratic Attorney-General Christine Gregoire and Republican state Senator Dino Rossi were just about tied with tens of thousands of mail-in absentee ballots still to be counted.

... It doesn't count

In surveys conducted on behalf of newspapers Le Monde, El Pais and the Guardian, challenger John Kerry would have beaten Bush by 72 per cent to 16 per cent in France, 58-13 in Spain and 50-22 in Britain.

Gay, Hispanic and the boss

Dallas County, the home to some of the biggest conservative supporters of President George W Bush, made history by electing an openly gay Hispanic woman as its sheriff.

Democrat Lupe Valdez, 57, pulled off one of the biggest surprises in the Texas races by defeating Republican Danny Chandler.

Early favourites

British bookmakers have made Senator Hillary Clinton favourite to win the 2008 vote. Ladbrokes offered 5/1 odds on the wife of former President Bill Clinton becoming the next US leader, 7/1 on former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani and 9/1 on Kerry's running mate, Senator John Edwards.

- AGENCIES