Religious values and established voting patterns have traditionally been very influential in the way ballots are cast.

The nation saw its first “born-again” Christian president with the election of Jimmy Carter in 1976.

President Barack Obama sharply challenged Mitt Romney on foreign policy in their final campaign debate Monday night, accusing him of “wrong and reckless leadership that is all over the map.” The Republican coolly responded, “Attacking me is not an agenda” for dealing with a dangerous world.

Attorneys representing around 600 school districts argued Monday that Texas’ school financing system is so “hopelessly broken” that it violates the state Constitution while keeping students from being prepared for the well-paying jobs of tomorrow.

The state countered that, even though the system is flawed, it’s nowhere near a crisis point.

Six lawsuits have been filed on behalf of about two-thirds of school districts, which educate about 75 percent of the state’s roughly 5 million students. They have been rolled into a single case, which opened before state District Judge John Dietz in Austin. The trial is expected to last into January.

Being absent from your chores back home is no excuse to be absent from voting in the 2012 presidential election.

Students who are away from the county they are registered in can still vote in the presidential election by receiving an absentee ballot.

Citizens may also utilize absentee voting if they are sick or disabled, are 65 years old or older on Election Day or are incarcerated.