“I’m actually surprised how many people have approached us,” he said outside Gund Hall. “I expected two people at this location to vote for Romney.”

Late in the day, after leaving instructions at the Quincy precinct for his fellow Republican poll watchers, Silvestri changed into a suit and left for Romney headquarters, located near the Alewife T station.

He had planned to head to the Romney party at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel after a quick visit but wound up sitting behind Romney’s desk instead—where it’s now 7:30 p.m.

After he’s spent about 30 minutes working the phones, Romney staffer Lydia Goldblatt sails into the office, untangling a computer cord with her hands.

“This has got to get over right now,” she says, giving Silvestri directions to the Romney war room in the Park Plaza.

He dashes out the door for the T.

Thirty minutes later, right at the moment when polls across the state are closing, he rushes through the lobby of the Park Plaza and catches an elevator for the fourth floor.

He passes hurried Romney aides in the hall as he looks for the war room, where he introduces himself—and the computer cord.

Then he makes his way to another phone bank. This time he’s on the receiving end as campaign volunteers call in results from across the state.

He’s been working for 14 hours now, and he hopes that, before it’s all over, he makes it to the victory speech.