Maryland voters will flock to the polls today, lured by a momentous presidential election but also called to decide on slot-machine gambling and to settle one of the most competitive congressional races in the country.
Expected record turnout could produce long lines at precincts, which might influence decisions on a proposed constitutional amendment to allow early voting in Maryland.
Pages and pages of down-ballot bond issues could further cause voting delays.
But long lines are not likely to stifle voter enthusiasm, said Linda Lamone, the state's elections administrator.
"It's almost like this election is a celebration," she said. "The majority of people going to the polls, if they have to stand in line, we think they'll remain positive about it."
Homer Favor, 84, who hasn't missed a presidential election since voting for Harry S. Truman in 1948, predicted "tremendous turnout" from the state's black voters, despite a rainy forecast.
"They sat in the rain to listen to him," the retired Morgan State University economics professor said of foul-weather rallies attended by thousands of Barack Obama supporters during the campaign. "They'll certainly walk in the rain to vote for him."
But James Bell, an Obama volunteer who has already cast an absentee ballot, expressed doubt about turnout from impoverished parts of the city, such as his Harlem Park neighborhood.
"They claim they're voting, but I don't know," said the 73-year-old retired graphics designer. "I still see a lot of negative attitudes ... about voting, about caring about your community."
As an early indication in the level of interest in this election, nearly 227,000 absentee ballots had been requested by Sunday, compared with about 138,000 absentee voters in the 2004 presidential election, officials said.
State officials are projecting a record 85 percent turnout today that could spike to more than 90 percent in Baltimore City and Prince George's County. They have added more equipment and poll workers at key precincts as part of a "line alleviation" plan.
The state elections board also retained a professional call center to answer voter questions, which has fielded tens of thousands of calls in recent days. Meanwhile, a "rumor control" section of the board's Web site seeks to dispel misconceptions.
