Polls begin to close on east coast, turnout heavy, exit poll data will not be released.

(From Agence France Presse)

Polls in one of the most closely watched legislative and gubernatorial elections in US history began to close on the east coast.

At 7:00pm (0100 GMT) polls in Kentucky, Vermont, Virginia, South Carolina Georgia and Indiana closed.

Half an hour later polling closed in North Carolina, Ohio and West Virginia.

Early returns were expected shortly.

Competitive races in key states brought out large numbers of voters Tuesday as Republicans and Democrats battled for control of an evenly divided US Congress, but turnout was lighter elsewhere, election and party officials said.

With all 435 seats in the House of Representatives, 34 of the 100 Senate seats and 36 state governorships at stake, the Democratic and Republican political machines have …