OHIO COUNTY, W.Va. -- “Right now, especially, people are starting to get more interested in the election," said Toni Chieffalo, of the Ohio County Board of Elections.

As the presidential race heats up, Chieffalo said this could be a record-setting year for voter turnout. She estimates about 3,100 Ohio County voters opted to cast their ballots early in 2004.

"That's like our highest and I think we could surpass that easily,” she said.

Some voters said they are feeling the pressure to take part in a potentially history-making election.

"I think just the past eight years with President Bush, there's time for a change. I think people really need to step up and take responsibility for themselves to make a change," said St. Clairsville resident Amy Norman.

"[Barack] Obama, I think he's too young,” said Thomas Armstrong of Wheeling. “But there's young voters out there. And you never know."

Chieffalo said young voters are coming out already, registering to vote and requesting their absentee ballots before they head off to college.

She expects the number of voters registering to remain steady up until the last day for registration in Ohio County on October 14.