California's unprecedented recall election entered its last act on Tuesday as voters jammed polling stations to decide unpopular Gov. Gray Davis's political future and decide whether Republican actor Arnold Schwarzenegger should begin a political career -- at the top.

Californians wait to vote in San Diego as the state takes to the polls in the recall election of Governor Gray Davis October 7, 2003. Voters are being asked YES or NO on the recall and then have a choice of candidates for governor.   [Reuters]

Lines in many places began forming at 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT) when booths opened for Californians to first decide whether to oust Democrat Davis, a charisma-free technocrat under fire for mishandling the state's economy, then pick from an assortment of 135 candidates, including the magnetic bodybuilder turned actor.

Last minute polls showed the race tightening, although Schwarzenegger's camp claimed the actor retained a healthy lead among replacement candidates and that voters appeared ready to boot Davis.

Schwarzenegger arrived at his local polling station, a garage of a sprawling, gated suburban home, entering through a back entrance where a polling worker, saying she hated to be rude, asked him for his name before he cast his ballot shortly after 9 a.m. PDT (noon EDT).

One voter entered and recognized the movie star, saying "Hello Governor," to which one clerk responded, in good humor, "no electioneering here."

Actor and Republican gubernatorial hopeful Arnold Schwarzenegger casts his vote for the California recall election at a polling place in Pacific Palisades, California October 7, 2003.   [Reuters]

Schwarzenegger slipped on a pair of brown frame glasses to scrutinize the ballot before voting, and later said he found himself among the 135 listed candidates by looking for the longest name.

"I feel good," he told reporters. "I'm going to spend some time with my family, and then I'm going around thanking people ... all the people who worked so hard on this campaign. We worked hard, and we campaigned hard to try to get the message out," he said. "We hope for the best.

His wife, Maria Shriver, was asked by reporters whether she believed women would support her husband's candidacy following the recent news stories about his alleged groping of women, and she replied "Yes I do."

Although results were expected Tuesday night after polls close at 8 p.m. (11 p.m. EDT), it could be weeks until the state certifies the official result and some observers held out the prospect of a recount or a court challenge if the vote proves especially close.

'STATE IS LITERALLY BANKRUPT'

What began as a Republican-led protest vote over Davis' handling of the state's economy and recent energy crisis has become a referendum on Schwarzenegger, especially his alleged groping and sexual harassment of women.

Davis' wife Sharon campaigned for her husband at the last minute, once again bringing up claims of impropriety against Schwarzenegger, who in turn has accused the Davis campaign of dirty tricks in the crucial final days before the recall.

Appearing on NBC's "Today" show, Mrs. Davis said as a former flight attendant she was harassed and understood why women had not come forward before with complaints against Schwarzenegger, a "powerful" man in the film industry.

Speaking from Schwarzenegger's camp, former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan praised the actor for not being "blindsided" by the allegations and said he was the right man to sort out California's financial woes.

"This state is literally bankrupt. ... People are desperate to have new leadership in Sacramento," he said, charging Davis had sold out the state to special interest groups.

President Bush praised Schwarzenegger for running a "spirited" campaign and pledged to work with the actor if he wins. "If he's the governor I'll work with him -- absolutely," Bush told reporters after a Cabinet meeting.

"He's obviously waged a spirited campaign. He has captured a lot of people's imaginations."

Davis' campaign said its new tracking survey of 1,200 likely voters found a 50 percent to 48 percent split between those favoring a "yes" vote on the recall and those planning to vote "no," in a poll of 1,200 people over three days.

That survey was at odds with the latest numbers from the Schwarzenegger camp, which found 55 percent in favor of the recall and just 36 percent opposed, although the actor's handlers said only 250 people were polled on Monday.

Schwarzenegger has expressed outrage and puzzlement at the late barrage of sexual misconduct charges, calling them part of an orchestrated "dirty tricks" campaign.

Schwarzenegger has promised to address all the charges in detail after the election. His critics say that is too late.

Davis, also campaigning fiercely, told supporters in San Francisco late on Monday: "This race is razor close -- right there on the edge. ... We need to do everything we can in the next 24 to 36 hours ... to reaffirm the democratic values we hold so dear. Let's get to it!"

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