The New Jersey gubernatorial returns are: Chris Christie (Republican) 48.8%, Jon Corzine (Democratic) 44.6%, Chris Daggett (independent) 5.7%, others on the ballot, not yet broken down, .9%. Daggett is the first person to run for Governor of New Jersey in November, who was not a Democratic or Republican nominee, to have exceeded 5% of the vote, since 1913.

In 1913, Progressive Party nominee Everett Colby polled 11.0%. Before that, no one had polled 5% for Governor of New Jersey other than the major party nominees since 1886, when the Prohibition Party’s Clinton Fisk polled 8.6%.

The 2009 election produced the lowest percentage of the vote for a Democratic nominee for New Jersey Governor since 1985.

Updated: 12:05am EST (Wednesday)

With 87% of precincts reporting, CNN just reported that the Democrat, Bill Owens, is leading with 49% over Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman’s 45%. Republican Dede Scozzafava, who withdrew from the race a few days ago, is getting 6%.

There are over 11,000 absentee ballots that will not be counted tonight.

Attorneys for the state of Tennessee will be taking the depositions of leaders of the Tennessee Constitution, Green, and Libertarian Parties on November 13. If necessary, they will extend into November 14, even though that is a Saturday. The depositions are part of the normal process for constitutional lawsuits. The case concerns Tennessee’s ballot access law for new and previously unqualified parties.