It started with long lines even before poll workers arrived in some locations, and ended with the sorting of some 13,000 absentee ballots. By the time polls closed Tuesday, more than 30,000 voters between both Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township cast ballots in the 2012 general election. More than 79 percent of township residents turned out, and the city, at 78 percent, was not far behind.

What's New: The Bloomfield Hills Schools Board of Education will get one new member (Howard Baron), and retain two current members (Ingrid Day and Rob Herner). Bloomfield Hills City Commissioner Mike McCready also earned his ticket to Lansing as the new Representative for the 40th District.

What's Not: The current Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees was retained in overwhelming fashion in uncontested races. Incumbents on the Bloomfield Township Public Library Board and the Oakland County Commission also remain in place.

Pundits and politicians alike have a habit of claiming every election is the most important, particularly when they're running or have a personal stake. But today's general election, unlike those in recent memory, can have many implications for Bloomfield residents on a local, state and of course, federal level.

At the most local level, all seven incumbents of the Bloomfield Township Board of Trustees are virtually assured another term as each is unopposed. That's not the same for residents of the Bloomfield Hills Schools, where six candidates will seek three seats, including one race where two current board members face each other and a former trustee for a 2-year-term.

Bloomfield Hills City Commissioner Mike McCready hopes to maintain the momentum from August's narrow win over three other Republicans when he faces Democrat Dorian Coston of West Bloomfield in his first bid for the State House of Representatives. Voters will also decide six ballot proposals that could impact the Michigan Constitution in unprecedented fashion, and choose members of the State Supreme Court.

And finally, all the tumult and circus-like atmosphere of the marathon presidential campaign will come to a close, barring any irregularities. Choosing the president is always a big deal and opens a new chapter in American history. But one thing that will set this election apart for Bloomfield voters is that it's possible that after tonight, the couple occupying the White House in January could both be Cranbrook graduates who grew up in Bloomfield Hills.

Bloomfield Patch also has all the news on state and county elections, from the state proposals to the race for Oakland County Sheriff.

If you haven't voted yet, click on the PDF to above to study a sample ballot before you go to the polls.

9:49 p.m.: Bloomfield Township Clerk Jan Roncelli said there is still one township precinct to report with their voting results, and then the absentee ballots will be included to get final results.

"This was a big election and we just didn't stop going," Roncelli said of the staff and poll workers that worked 32 precincts Tuesday. She said no precincts ran out of ballots, but turnout was high enough at some to warrant a second delivery.

9:30 p.m.: Bloomfield Township Hall is filling up with poll workers as they continue to bring in the secured voting machines and memory cards. Officials said some machines had difficulty maintaining a wireless signal in the township and could not transmit results directly to the Oakland County Clerk's Office as planned. No major delays are anticipated, however.

8:01 p.m.: Polls are closed and the 2012 general election is over. Now comes the tough part; the waiting. Check back for frequent updates as the results come in.

7:45 p.m: Voter traffic was reportedly a little slower during the evening hours than earlier today, but folks were still trickling in and out of polls at Way Elementary School.

5 p.m.: Looking for a little Election Day levity? Take a look at these two recent posts from Patch bloggers:

• Finally, My Phone Won't Ring!
• A Little Voting Levity

4:20 p.m.: The Bloomfield Township Clerk's office reports that 11,304 of the 12,125 absentee ballots issued were accounted for.

3:47 p.m.: He gets them, too. During an interview in his Bloomfield Hills office adorned with photos of vintage U.S. Air Force aircraft, Oakland Party Chairman Jim Thienel reluctantly picks up the phone on his desk that just won't stop ringing, and smiles. On the other end? A voice recording of GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, urging him for a vote.

"I can assure you, you have it!" Theinel quipped after putting the call on speaker. "If I got that call, it must have gone out to every number in the country."

3:30 p.m.: Local police officials said there have not been any election calls or runs in Bloomfield Township or Bloomfield Hills so far today. They also have not been needed to transport or escort extra ballots, despite anticipated high turnout.

2:45 p.m.: The Oakland County Republican Party Headquarters in Bloomfield Hills is teeming with activity. Phone banks are open and volunteers continue to come in through the front door to help out. It's all part of an improved 'ground game' Party Chairman Jim Thienel said he and other leaders worked hard on over the past two years.

"We lost Oakland County by 14 points (to President Obama in 2008) and we want to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Volunteers are scheduled to continue making calls to voters in the central, mountain, and west time zones even after polls close in Michigan tonight.

1:30 p.m.: Roughly 500 voters cast ballots at Precinct #1 in Bloomfield Hills (the Department of Public Safety garage) thus far, and the traffic appears to be slowing down after a busy morning, Precinct Captain Laura Pincipe said.

"I thought it would be more, given all the interest in the presidential race," said voter Marcia Hamamdjian, who asked poll workers how many residents were registered in the city.

The number could be a bit deceiving, however, and City Clerk Amy Burton said she expects turnout to be up by the end of the day, given the high absentee voter total. The clerk's office reported a record of 1,392 absentee ballots were issued for today's election, and 1,089 were already returned by this morning.

11:30 a.m.:

While the Bloomfield Hills School Board races remain the most-contested local issue on Tuesday’s ballot, there are measures at stake in Bloomfield’s neighboring nearby in Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin.

Five candidates are running for three open spots on the Beverly Hills Village Council, including:

• Jacqueline Kelly
• Brian LaFerriere
• Tony Lott
• Marianne McLennan
• John G. Mooney

There’s also one proposal on the Beverly Hills ballot, which would amend the Village Charter so that when there’s a vacancy on the council, someone could be appointed to fill the spot until the next village election.

Residents in Beverly Hills, Franklin and Bingham Farms will also be voting for the next Southfield Township clerk, which helps coordinates elections for Beverly Hills, Bingham Farms and Franklin. In that race, incumbent Sharon Tischler is running against challenger Andrea Briggs.

11 a.m.: Lots of kids tagging along with parents on Election Day since classes are out today in the Bloomfield Hills Schools district. Don't worry, they seem to be making the most of the 'I Voted' stickers.

Students at the Wing Lake Developmental Center cast their ballots for president during a special mock vote Monday. Check back for results to see how they compared to the final official tally.

8:23 a.m.: Traffic is steady, and in some places very heavy as the early-voter morning rush is on. Some were reportedly standing in line before 6 a.m.!

7:00 a.m.: Polls are open. Sue Hess and her team of poll workers are ready at Precinct #3 at the Doyle Center for Professional Development in Bloomfield Township is ready.

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LIVE 2012 BLOOMFIELD ELECTION RESULTS

These will be updated after the polls close at 8 p.m.

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Bloomfield Patch Editor Laura Houser contributed to this report.

This story was updated with the correct spelling of Shelley Goodman Taub's name.