The polls closed a few minutes ago, and the Times is reporting exit poll results in the Democratic mayoral primary that closely track the polls we’ve been seeing the past few weeks. Bill de Blasio is flirting with the 40 percent threshold to avoid a run-off. If de Blasio doesn’t clear 40 percent, Bill Thompson seems to have the edge on Christine Quinn to get into the one-on-one run-off. The comptroller contest is looking like a toss-up, and Dan Squadron and Tish James may be headed for a run-off in the public advocate race.

If I recall correctly, four years ago the City Council results were available around midnight.

And how about a round of applause for all the volunteers who worked their tails off to raise the profile of street safety and transit as campaign issues this election cycle? Whatever the outcomes tonight, they’ve changed local politics for the better.