The Independent Rundown, November 6

Independent Nation gives you the day’s 5 must reads for independents and centrists:

1. “Ohio’s Nightmare Scenario,” at The Daily Beast.
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted is set to be cast as the Katherine Harris of 2012, reports John Avlon.

2. “After an Emotional Finale, Team Obama Fears a Split Decision,” at New York Magazine.
It’s an Armageddon scenario to be sure, but with a race this tight, a split in the electoral and popular votes is within the realm of possibility.

3. “Welcome to Election Day: Seven Things That Could Go Wrong (or Already Have),” at ProPublica.
Long lines? Confusion over voter IDs? Here’s what Americans go through to exercise their sovereign power.

4. “If Democrats Keep the Senate, Republicans Can Blame Themselves,” at Politico.
Who would have thought the Democrats might hold on to their Senate majority?

5. “Swilling the Planters With Bumbo: When Booze Bought Elections,” at Smithsonian.com.
There was a time the vox populi was considerably less dry on Election Day.

Extra: "What Would the Founding Fathers Think of Election Day 2012," in The Wall Street Journal.
Remember 250 years ago, when pollsters didn’t exist?

Send stories for the Independent Rundown to Matt DeLuca at matt.deluca@newsweekdailybeast.com. Follow him on Twitter: @DeLucaMattS.