PRESIDENT Bush appeared to be heading for a second term in the White House this morning after one of the closest, most expensive and most bitter elections in American history.

But as the counting continued in the key swing state of Ohio, the Democrats refused to concede defeat after some networks had called it for Mr Bush.

It was a rollercoaster night of the highest drama as Republican and Democrat voters turned out in record numbers, polling stations stayed open late to cope with the demand and the future of the presidency was balanced on a knife edge.

Throughout the night, the result was too close to call as state after state voted exactly the same way as four years ago.

There were few surprises as both candidates held on to their usual support bases.

But there was widespread relief that the election did not appear to be heading towards a series of legal challenges, despite thousands of lawyers being on hand for both parties.

By 3am GMT Mr Bush had won West Virginia, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Mississippi, Louisiana, Montana, Utah and Missouri, putting him well on the way to the 270 electoral votes needed for victory.

John Kerry had taken Delaware, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island.

A little later Pennsylavania came in for Kerry but that win was soon eclipsed by the crucial result from Florida. The 27 electoral votes went to Bush decisively without a repeat of the legal controversies of four years ago.

Now all eyes turned to Ohio - which has received 33 presidential visits in the past four years - and its 20 electoral votes. The state has been bombarded with more television advertising from both camps than any other.

Across the country there were unprecedented scenes as electors queued around the block in hundreds of polling stations in what is likely to be the biggest turnout for decades.

In some cases there were reports voters waited patiently for up to eight hours to cast their ballot.

Intense voter registration drives and keen interest in the US presidential race put the election on track to draw the heaviest turnout in decades.

Officials were watching whether it would approach the 1960 benchmark, when about two-thirds of eligible voters came out to choose between John F Kennedy and Richard Nixon.

An estimated 117.5 million to 121 million people, around 60 per cent, were expected to cast votes. Slightly more than 51 per cent of voters, about 105.4 million, cast ballots in 2000.

The Republicans had started the night in uncertain mood, knowing only the race would be close and that the high turnout could well favour the Democrats who began with high hopes.

In a break with tradition, both candidates campaigned right into polling day itself in a bid to scoop up any last vestiges of undecided support.

Last night President Bush surrounded himself with relatives and friends in the familiar comforts of the White House as he waited today to see if his fate would duplicate that of his father, who was beaten by Bill Clinton in 1992 after just one term.

"I believe I will win, thank you very much," he said.

"I feel good about it, I'm glad to be watching the returns here with my family and friends," Bush said. "It's going to be an exciting evening."

On Tuesday's final pre-election stop, Bush got on the phone himself to persuade voters to go to the polls. "I promise you, it's me," he said to a doubting supporter on the other end of the line.

Kerry got teary-eyed as he thanked his staff for a campaign's worth of work. "We made the case for change," he said before going home to Boston to vote at the State House.

As he emerged, he gave supporters the thumbs up, saying: "America is a strong country, and I think it can be stronger, but that's up to the American people."

Mr Bush, Mr Kerry and vice president Dick Cheney carried their respective home states of Texas, Massachusetts and Wyoming.

North Carolina, home to Mr Kerry's running mate John Edwards, went to the Republicans, as expected.

Just before 6am GMT, Fox News (which made the early call on Florida four years ago) called Ohio for Bush amid scenes of wild jubilation at the Republican campaign headquarters at the Reagan Centre in Washington.

More than 80 per cent of the precincts had been counted and the president was around 4 per cent ahead. One commentator said: "Kerry is running out of real estate."

But at the time of going to press, the Democrats had refused to concede defeat in Ohio.

At that point Mr Bush had 249 electoral votes with Mr Keryy on 221.

One thing was absolutely certain by 7am this morning. The Republicans retained control of the House of Representatives, extending their ten year hold on the chamber and they tightened their grip on the Senate.

First published: November 3