Early voting hours light to moderate in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI - Voters all over the Tri-State started to show up at polling places to cast ballots for Congress, state offices and local levies as early as 6 a.m. in Kentucky and 6:30 a.m. in Indiana and Ohio.

Only light to moderate voting activity was seen at the Evanston Recreation Center early Tuesday morning with about 12 people casting ballots in the first hour the polls were open.

Ohio voters will decide the outcome of a hot contest that could come down to the wire between incumbent Governor Ted Strickland and his Republican challenger, former Congressman John Kasich.

Former Tri-State Congressman Rob Portman is expected to easily outdo Ohio Lt. Governor Lee Fisher to replace retiring Ohio Senator George Voinovich.

Hamilton County and Ohio election officials are predicting about half of eligible voters will be voting in this midterm election.

In Kentucky, where there is a hot Senate race between tea party Republican Rand Paul and Democratic Attorney General Jack Conway, a 48 percent turnout is expected.

Some Warren County election officials say they're expecting turnout as high as 60 percent, thanks to local school levies in several communities.

Many Ohio voters won't be casting ballots on Election Day because they have already early voted either in person or by mailing in absentee ballots. They could account for upwards of 25 percent of all votes cast in Ohio.

Elections officials say those absentee early ballots will probably be counted first, just after the Ohio polls close at 7:30 p.m.