Republican candidate Mitt Romney casts his vote

Republican candidate Mitt Romney has cast his ballot in the US presidential election.

Mr Romney and his wife Ann cast their votes near their Massachusetts, home a little before 9am local time (1400 GMT).

The Republican challenger needed an early start ahead of election day rallies in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Asked whom he had voted for, Romney replied, "I think you know."

Romney will return to Boston on Tuesday night for an Election Day reception at the Boston Convention Center.