Obama, Romney exhort crowds in dashes to vital states
Mitt Romney was in four states Sunday, with Cleveland among his stops. President Obama was also in four states, opening in Concord, N.H.

AFP/GETTY IMAGES (left); Jim Davis/Globe Staff

The race remains extremely close, with both President Obama and Mitt Romney predicting victory but passionately urging their supporters to vote.

Lawyers for both parties are descending on key swing states, anticipating legal challenges after what could become a razor-thin decision that rests on how, where, and which ballots are counted.

Lawyers for both parties ready to challenge results

Presidential elections are decided at the ballot box, but this one could get a little assistance from the courtroom.

Bay State activists pour passions into New Hampshire

Dedicated followers of both candidates are taking their talents to places where the election will be decided, first and foremost just over the border in N.H.

Adrian Walker

Region still has a passion for politics

As always, New England is a political hotbed full of close races and impassioned voters who take elections to heart.

Ballot questions intended to send leaders a message

In a pair of nonbinding ballot questions, some Mass. voters have the chance to tell the newly elected officials what they would like them to do when they get to Capitol Hill.

Republican Sean Bielat (right) spoke to students in a social studies class at Franklin High School. Joseph P. Kennedy III addressed a government and politics class.

For Kennedy and Bielat, last days lack urgency

Nine months after a poll that showed Joseph P. Kennedy III with a solid lead over Sean Bielat in the Fourth District race, not much has changed.

Representative John Tierney (right), visiting the Zabota Adult Day and Health Center in Lynn Thursday, spoke with Simon Malykin. Republican Richard Tisei, who is challenging Tierney, talked with Laura Kamens while he was campaigning in Danvers last week.

Acrimony lingers for Tierney, Tisei in 6th District race

Personal bitterness has overshadowed policy differences between Rep. John Tierney and Republican Richard Tisei, who diverge most sharply on economics.

Senator Scott Brown campaigned in Faneuil Hall while challenger Elizabeth Warren barnstormed in Braintree with Senator John F. Kerry.

AP (Below); KAYANA SZYMCZAK FOR GLOBE

Brown, Warren push for votes at dueling rallies

Former Governor William Weld joined Senator Scott Brown at Faneuil Hall, while Senator John Kerry campaigned with Elizabeth Warren in Braintree.

Kimberly Smith-Cofield abruptly resigned as executive director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville in June. She had held the post since 2009.

Audit details turmoil at Somerville nonprofit

The former director of the agency that provides Head Start for preschoolers in Somerville and Cambridge freely used the agency’s credit card for personal expenses.

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Globe Insiders

Nov. 14, 6 p.m.

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Join The Boston Globe’s Greg Bedard and former Patriots tight end Jermaine Wiggins as they give Insiders an exclusive look into how they break down the Patriots’ film each week.

Globe exclusives

Dr. Elizabeth Brem checks Roger Jensen at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Diagnosed with lung cancer while hospitalized for pneumonia, Jensen participates in a program offering close follow-up care to Medicare patients at risk for frequent hospitalizations.

G Cover

Hospitals look to lower readmission rates
Dinyar Vania (Pinkerton) and Yunah Lee (Cio-Cio San), in her debut with Boston Lyric Opera, sang the lead roles in Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” in the BLO’s season opener at Citi Performing Arts Center Shubert Theater.

Opera Review

BLO’s ‘Butterfly’ insistently, lyrically dramatic
Dr. James M. Perrin, president-elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Q&A

Pediatrics leader talks about biggest issues facing kids
Gary Clark Jr. (pictured earlier this year in New Orleans) mixed his own material with covers in his two-hour show at Royale Friday.

Music Review

A galvanizing Gary Clark Jr. at Royale

President Obama, at a campaign event in Las Vegas last week. Mitt Romney, at a campaign event at the University of Miami last week.

Where Obama, Romney stand on economic issues
Shinichi Mochizuki, a Japanese mathematician who claims to have solved the ABC conjecture.

An ABC proof too tough even for mathematicians
Family-friendly Cranmore Mountain Resort in North Conway, N.H., is offering a raft of deals in celebration of its 75th anniversary.

Special section | Chill: Let it snow

Bargains in New England ski country
When you acquire a problem child like Aqib Talib — and he is one of the worst in the NFL — it’s called desperation.

Sunday Football Notes

Aqib Talib trade signals change in Patriots philosophy

Special section

Romney’s record
Henry Fonda and Jane Darwell in “The Grapes of Wrath,” a political manifesto based on John Steinbeck’s novel.

Movies

In films, the personal trumps the political

ideas | The Word

How Twitter language reveals your gender

From left: Mark Hamill, George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford on the set of the “Star Wars” film “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Critic’s Notebook

What to expect when Disney buys ‘Star Wars’

Sports

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ON BASKETBALL

Young Celtic Jared Sullinger has kept his head despite being hit with the predictable rookie fouls.

Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger making good moves

Sullinger has made such an impression on the Celtics during his first few months that he knows he is doing something right.

Metro

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James “Whitey” Bulger was taken from his Plymouth jail cell to Boston Medical Center Sunday morning.

‘Whitey’ Bulger rushed to Boston hospital

The notorious gangster was rushed from his Plymouth jail cell to a Boston hospital early Sunday after complaining of chest pains.

Columnists

US Air Force crews in New York offload power grid repair equipment from Southern California Thursday. The Defense Department initiated the airlift operation.

JULIETTE KAYYEM

After Sandy, environmentalists, military find common cause
Touchfire screentop keyboard for iPad, by Touchfire Inc.

Tech Lab Plus

Clip-on keyboard pushes the right buttons
Walt Siegl’s custom motorcycles.

Innovation Economy

Starbucks tests wireless way to charge phones

Adrian Walker

Region still has a passion for politics
Among Sox sluggers, David Ortiz ranks in the top 10 in hits, runs, doubles, homers, RBIs, extra-base hits, and walks.

Dan Shaughnessy

No complaints on Red Sox’ David Ortiz deal

Kevin Cullen

Giving back to the other ‘1 percent’

Yvonne Abraham

Having the choice to die matters

JOAN VENNOCHI

This election, the loser can only blame himself

JOANNA WEISS

May the polls be with you
Jay Meattle’s Shareaholic helps people share online content they find interesting.

INNOVATION ECONOMY

Grind of getting US visa hobbles building business

Dave Cowens played his entire career with the Celtics save for his last year, when he played in Milwaukee.

Bob Ryan

For NBA flops, let players police themselves?
Kyle Gendron (rear, center) with members of his family last month at the MDSC Buddy Walk in Wakefield.

Beverly Beckham

Cancer can’t take away Kyle Gendron’s smile

Business

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Nathan Georgette, a senior at Harvard, aims to be a doctor who treats patients with tuberculosis and HIV infection.

Harvard senior sets his record straight

Nathan Georgette has been lauded for retracting a flawed scientific study he published at age 17.

Top Places to Work

Special section

Top largest, large, medium, and small employers

The Globe’s 2012 Top Places to Work survey ranks the best employers in Massachusetts.

Politics

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The Massachusetts Senate race ranks second in spending, but super PACs have contributed only a small fraction of it.

Spending on congressional races soars

Candidates and their outside benefactors are on track to spend at least a record $2.3 billion to influence the outcome of Tuesday’s vote.

Nation & World

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Garbage piled up on a street in the New Dorp neighborhood of Staten Island in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Cold threatens victims left homeless by Sandy

Cold weather added to the plight of victims of Hurricane Sandy, with as many as 40,000 people in New York in need of new housing.

Arts

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Music Review

Jordi Savall’s ensemble played music from Europe dating from 1500 to 1700.

Savall’s seven re-creates golden age of consort viol

Jordi Savall’s ensemble played music from Europe dating from 1500 to 1700 at Jordan Hall on Friday.

Health and wellness

Daily Dose

Mistakes parents make when helping toddlers with skills

Here are common mistakes Hamilton-based occupational therapist Barbara Smith said parents often make.

“For me, as much as I wanted to help Scott Brown’s campaign, I just felt I had to spend my entire time with [Mitt] Romney.”

Sherry Charley, of Westford,  on helping Romney’s N.H. campaign

Magazine

The cover for the November 4 2012 issue

How to be a New England vegetarian in winter
The cover for the October 28 2012 issue

The PANDAS puzzle: Can a common infection cause OCD in kids?
The cover for the October 21 2012 issue

A new home with a traditional feel
The cover for the October 14 2012 issue

How grocery shopping got personal

Opinion

“Like it or not, we’re in a war against climate change.”

Juliette Kayyem 

Ideas

“This growly and pugnacious Canada bears little resemblance to the nation of unobtrusive peacekeepers that Americans have known. And the change in tone has been nothing if not deliberate.”

Leon Neyfakh,  on the new Canadian nationalism