However, you can get a jump on the ballot casting with an absentee-in-person ballot, which anyone can cast by visiting their county election office, or absentee-by-mail, an option available to those who cannot vote on Election Day or voting at a satellite voting location.

Voting can be done at either the Greene County Clerk's office -- starting Oct. 6 -- or at two satellite voting locations Oct. 11 and Oct. 18.

Voting will be conducted at the voter registration office, located on the second floor of the county courthouse in Bloomfield, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday though Friday -- beginning Oct. 6, according to county clerk Jackie Winstead.

For the second year, the clerk's office will also conduct off-site early voting at satellite locations in Linton and eastern Greene County.

Early voting will be available at the Center Township Fire Department on State Road 54 in Little Cincinnati on Oct. 11 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. and at the Indiana National Guard Armory on State Road 54 in Linton on Oct. 18 form 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The clerk said in last year's initial year of off-site voting the turnout was moderately successful with 100 voting at the Armory and about 50 at the Center Township location.

The real purpose of offering the satellite sites is to offer voters more options to vote and she added, "So people don't have to wait in long lines on election day."

Winstead noted that things are quiet in her office now, but she expects the pace to pick up in the next few weeks.

"We're kind of in the calm before the storm, but we're ready for the election when it gets here," she said with a laugh.

She now has a full staff in the voter registration office.

Winstead has hired a replacement for long-time deputy Marjorie Cullison, who retired a few weeks ago.

Teressa Smith, a former employee in the county assessor's office and a former member of the Bloomfield Town Council, started in the office Monday.

"She'll fit right in. I'm happy to have her," Winstead commented on the hiring.

The clerk pointed out that she is expecting a very high turnout for this year's presidential election.

"They are expecting this one to be a huge turnout," Winstead said in referring to the heated presidential race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain.

Winstead stressed that anyone from any precinct in the county will be able to vote at either of the early voting locations or at the voter registration office.

"They (voters) must remember to bring a photo ID," she added.

The process to vote early has been streamlined and made more voter-friendly in recent years. The state used to require anyone voting absentee to sign an affidavit telling why they couldn't vote in person on election day. That regulation has been abandoned.

Secretary of State Todd Rokita told election administrators in a letter last month that they should encourage early absentee voting to help reduce potential problems -- including long lines, ballot shortages and poll-worker and voter confusion -- on Election Day.

"By all accounts, we could see turnout records statewide," Rokita wrote.

Rokita usually is not a fan of early voting. He considers Election Day a community-building exercise, with everyone heading to the polls on the same day to perform a civic duty, spokesman Jim Gavin told The Associated Press.

But things have changed this year due to the keen interest in the presidential race. Rokita has predicted that up to 750,000 Indiana residents will either newly register to vote or update their registrations with new addresses or other changes by the Oct. 6 deadline, according to an AP report.

Early voting proved popular in May's primary, especially in counties that set up early voting locations on college campuses and those that are part of a pilot program allowing vote centers at grocery stores or malls.

Statewide, 11 percent of primary voters cast absentee ballots this year -- the highest percentage in two decades of primary elections.

Winstead reminded anyone who is wanting to vote and unsure if they are registered to contact her office at 384-8532 or go online to www.indianavoters.com and view their registration status and polling location.