As poll workers opened the doors at 8 a.m. on Thursday at the Hal Marshall Annex in uptown, a line of voters had already formed. Thursday was the first day of early voting in Mecklenburg.

Voter Sam Spencer was the first to get in line three hours at 5 a.m. "It doesn't matter if you're voting Democrat, Republican, independent. What matters is that you have a myriad of opportunities over the next couple of weeks to let your voice be heard," Spencer said.

The Board of Elections director, Michael Dickerson, told Channel 9 he expects about a 30 to 40 percent voter turnout, which is not nearly as high the presidential election in 2008.

Catawba College political science professor Michael Bitzer expects great enthusiasm during early voting, especially from Republicans. "They're going to get their base out early that means they can then shift their attention to the undecided's, the unaffiliated, the independent voter that's probably going to swing Republican," he said. Read more...

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FULL STORY: Early Voters Lined Up Hours Before Polls Open (WSOC-TV.com)

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