(Cincinnati, Oh.) – Some of the first ballots in the highly anticipated November 6 election will be cast Tuesday.

Early voting begins across Ohio. Some voters are so eager to cast their ballots that they camped out overnight outside the Hamilton County Board of Elections. Early voting begins there at 8:00 a.m.

The early bird voters will join more than 922,000 people in Ohio who have requested vote-by-mail ballots.  There are about 7.8 million Ohioans registered to vote in this election.

“We are ready. Boards of elections are prepared and all voters can have confidence that Ohio will conduct a fair, open, and secure general election,” said Ohio Secretary of State John Husted. “No matter which method of voting they choose – in person absentee, by mail absentee or on Election Day – we encourage all Ohioans to take the time now to check their registrations and know the rules so they can have a smooth experience at the polls.”

VISIT EAGLE 99.3'S INDIANA VOTES 2012 WEBPAGE FOR LOCAL CONTESTS, CANDIDATE PROFILES, ELECTION NEWS, AND MORE. 

The Hamilton County Board of Elections early voting hours are 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. each day, Monday through Friday. Early voting will continue through Friday, November 2 at 6:00 p.m. More information on early voting can be found on the board of elections website, boe.hamilton-co.org.

Ohio is one of a handful of key battleground states in the presidential race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt Romney. Both candidates have spent the past few months campaigning heavily in the Buckeye state, attempting to energize their supporters and encourage them to cast a ballot.

Next Tuesday, October 9 marks the voter registration deadline in Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky – 29 days before the November 6 election.

Also on October 9, Indiana county clerks offices will open absentee in-person voting. Ohio and Indiana are among 34 states where voters can cast an absentee ballot without having to give a reason.

In Kentucky, state law does not allow for early voting or unexcused absentee voting, according to the Kentucky State Board of Elections website.

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Indiana Votes 2012