United States presidential election, 2012
![](/Images/godic/202502/08/President_Barack_Obama,_2012_portrait_crop4707.jpg")
![](/Images/godic/202502/08/Mitt_Romney_by_Gage_Skidmore_6_cropped4707.jpg")
![ElectoralCollege2012.svg](/Images/godic/202502/08/ElectoralCollege2012.svg4707.png")
![Final poll closing times on Election Day.
7 p.m. EST [00:00 UTC] (6)
7:30 p.m. EST [00:30 UTC] (3)
8 p.m. EST [01:00 UTC] (15+DC)
8:30 p.m. EST [01:30 UTC] (1)
9 p.m. EST [02:00 UTC] (15)
10 p.m. EST [03:00 UTC] (4)
11 p.m. EST [04:00 UTC] (5)
1 a.m. EST [06:00 UTC] (1)](/Images/godic/202502/08/Poll_Closing_Times_2008.svg4707.png")
The United States presidential election of 2012 was the 57th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on Tuesday, November 6, 2012. The Democratic nominee, incumbent President Barack Obama, and his running mate, Vice President Joe Biden, were elected to a second term, defeating the Republican nominee, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney, and his running mate, Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.