Latest news, weather, high school sports for Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

UPPER PENINSULA -- Voters apparently are excited about this year's election.  Reports from across the U.P. indicate high, perhaps even record-breaking turnout.

The hard-fought Presidential race between Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain is a big draw, but there are other local and statewide races and issues that are pulling people to the polls.

"The highest turnout we have ever had in an election is 67 percent," said Marquette County Clerk Connie Branam, "and I anticipate that being a little higher."

Polling places across the county reported dozens of voters waiting outside before the polls even opened at 7 a.m.  Branam hired additional workers and had new machines in polling places.

In Delta County, officials reported that about 40 percent of the registered voters had voted by noontime, which they believed put it on track to break the 2004 turnout of 68 percent.

There were similar reports in Houghton County.  Fifty percent had voted by 4 p.m. in Hancock's first ward, which one official said was very high, with the after-work rush still ahead.  At 7 a.m., 20 voters were waiting outside to vote--something officials say they couldn't remember ever happening before at that polling place.

In both Hancock and Dollar Bay, officials reported "huge" numbers of first-time voters showing up at the polls.

TV6 and www.wluctv6.com will have the first results as they come in Tuesday evening.