CNN, Fox, CBS, NBC and ABC projected Bush would win Florida's 27 electoral votes. Fox also projected Bush would win the key state of Ohio and its 20 electoral votes.
The other networks said Ohio remained too close to call, though Bush was ahead 52 percent to 48 percent in the balloting.
Fox projected Bush had 266 electoral votes to 211 for Democrat John Kerry. CBS projected Bush ahead 246 to 207; NBC and Fox projected it Bush 246 to Kerry 206; ABC and CNN had it Bush 246 to Kerry 195.
Kerry was projected as the winner in Pennsylvania, with 21 electoral votes.
To be elected, a candidate must win 270 out of 538 electoral votes from the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
With just over 98 percent of the ballots counted in Florida, Bush had a lead over Kerry of 52 to 47 percent, the Florida Secretary of State's Office reported.
Florida Secretary of State Glenda Hood said the number of absentee ballots included 70,000 in Palm Beach County, 92,000 in Broward County, and 90,000 in Miami-Dade County. Those in Miami-Dade were not expected to be counted until Thursday.
Elections officials in Broward County told WTVJ-TV in Miami that it would take a day, maybe two to count the ballots.
Miami-Dade County spokesman Seth Kaplan wouldn't commit to a time frame and would only say "We are working through the night tonight."
Turnout nationwide was heavy, with CNN estimating it at 115 million to 120 million voters.
Copyright 2004 by United Press International
