DECATUR - Voters are expected to swarm to the polls today as the excitement of the presidential contest between Barack Obama and John McCain boosts voter turnout throughout Illinois and the nation.

Polls are open in Illinois from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

"People should be prepared to stand in line," said Macon County Clerk Steve Bean, the county's chief election official. "There won't be three-hour waits, as has been the case in some other states. But you're not as likely to just be able to walk in and vote, as generally has been the case in past years."

Bean said he is a traditionalist who waits to vote until Election Day. He said he will go to his polling place today and stand in line with everyone else.

Bean's comments were prompted by a modern record turnout of voters prior to Election Day, people who took advantage of Illinois' early voting, grace period voting or traditional absentee voting to get their ballot marked early.

As of the close of in-person absentee voting Monday, more than 12,000 of Macon County's 73,599 registered voters had taken advantage of the opportunities to vote early. That far exceeded the old county record of 4,016 absentee votes cast in 1992, when the face-off between Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush drew large numbers of people to the polls.

There may have been even higher totals of absentee voters during World War II, but no records of those votes survive, Bean said.

Among early voter trends Bean said he noticed was a strong turnout from the first 17 Decatur Township precincts, all classified as inner-city precincts with high African-American populations. He said the fewest number of early voters came from the county's northern tier of townships, from Niantic to Whitmore.

He said there also was a strong early turnout among Warrensburg-Latham School District voters who have a property tax question on their ballots that, if approved, would raise $12 million for construction and remodeling of schools.

Oakley Township voters face a proposition to increase the road and bridge tax; an advisory referendum concerning the number of police officers is on Warrensburg village residents' ballots; and Blue Mound village residents are being asked to decide if a park district should be created there.

In addition to the presidential contest, voters will be able to cast votes for U.S. senator, U.S. representatives and state representatives and senators, as well as county officials.

Macon County Republican Chairman James Gresham said there has been a tremendous amount of traffic at party headquarters among people seeking literature or wanting to volunteer.

"I never thought it would be like this," Gresham said.

Anyone wanting a ride to the polls can call GOP headquarters at 422-4770, he said.

Democrats have arranged for the United Auto Workers union to provide rides to the polls, said Mark Wicklund, who is overseeing party headquarters this year. Those wanting rides can call the UAW Hall at 428-7706 or party headquarters at 362-2008, he said.

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