Polls Open for Historic Election

The polls are open, and Massachusetts voters are on the verge of making history today by either electing either a woman or an African American to the governor's office for the first time.

Democrat Deval Patrick goes into election day with a commanding lead in the polls, the most recent WHDH-TV/Suffolk University poll showing him ahead by 22 points.

His top opponent, Republican Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey, has conceded in recent days that she is lagging, but has continued to warn voters she would limit spending while Patrick would increase the cost of living with new spending projects.

The race has devastated spending records set by past campaigns, with the Boston Globe reporting the candidates have spent some $42.8 million this year, with more than half of that coming directly from the fortunes of the three millionaire candidates, Patrick, Healey and Independent Christy Mihos.

Projections by the voting advocacy group MassVOTE estimates as many as 2.4 million people or 60 percent of the electorate could go to the polls today.