"I've been waiting to vote for a long time," said Jacob Foskuhl, 18, an Ohio State University freshman from Dayton.

He wasn't referring to the all-night campout with friends who are volunteering with him for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. That wait was fun: The 30 students popped up tents outside Veterans Memorial and ordered pizza. They danced in the early morning rain.

Foskuhl, like his friends, was eager to vote in his first general election.

By about 8: 30 a.m., shortly after polls opened, most of the Obama campers were marking their ballots at one of 85 privacy booths inside the auditorium. There was no sign of any organized group from the John McCain campaign.

Michael Stinziano, director of the Franklin County Board of Elections, predicts 12,000 people could vote early in person at the auditorium, 300 W. Broad St. Voters park free, and the poll there will be open every day, weekends included, until Election Day.

A record 200,000 Franklin County residents are expected to vote early, most from home, as Stinziano and other county officials urge citizens to avoid long lines on Nov. 4.

Foskuhl's campaign co-workers had picked him to cast the first ballot in Franklin County. But voters scattered inside the large hall. The first voter marked her ballot quickly and left. She declined to comment.

David Prephan, 20, an OSU junior from Toledo majoring in political science and philosophy, cast the second ballot and stayed to savor the moment.

"I'm tired of people telling me that my voting group doesn't show up. That we're not passionate or dedicated," Prephan said. "It's not true."

bcarmen@dispatch.com