The county has seen an increase in registered voters this year, which may mean a heavy turnout, said Agnes Garvin, executive director of the county's Elections and Voter Registration Office.

In 2000, 44,639 of the county's 68,183 registered voters showed up at the polls for the presidential election. Garvin said she expects up to 70 percent, or about 52,500, of the county's 75,000 registered voters to cast ballots this year.

The county has also seen a spike in absentee voting with more than 10,000 people voting early, more than double the 5,000 people who voted absentee in 2000.

Greeters at most polling places will provide voters with sample ballots so they can review the information.

Voters are encouraged to review their voter registration cards to make sure they are correctly registered but are only required to have a driver's license or a state identification card.

The polls are busiest early in the morning, at noon and late in the afternoon, so midmorning and midafternoon voting is encouraged, said Tom Hatfield, chairman of the county's Board of Elections and Voter Registration.

"People should expect there are going to be some lines," he said.

Long and confusing referendum questions, including the 1,500-word local referendum on a 1 cent capital projects sales tax, could confuse voters and hold up lines.

"They're not terribly easy to understand quickly," Hatfield said of the three referendum questions on today's ballot.

The National Weather Service is calling for partly cloudy skies and seasonably mild temperatures today, which should be ideal for those trekking to the polls.

The local elections office has been working overtime to prepare for the election, but the barrage of absentee voters has left more work to be done, Garvin said.

"Once you absentee vote, we have to record the absentees on all of the books that go out to precincts so they can't vote again," she said.

The presidential race between President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry will be the main event today, with several other interesting and highly contested races rounding out the ballot.

Rep. Jim DeMint, R-Greenville, and Democrat Inez Tenenbaum, state Superintendent of Education, will compete for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Democratic Sen. Ernest "Fritz" Hollings.

Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., will defend his U.S. House seat against Lexington Democrat Michael Ellisor and Constitution Party candidate Steve Lefemine.

Residents in state House District 124, including the Sea Islands and parts of Beaufort and Port Royal, will decide whether to send incumbent Rep. Catherine Ceips, R-Beaufort, back to Columbia for a second term or vote for Democratic challenger Benjamin Schwartz.

Only one county race north of the Broad River will be contested Tuesday. County Council Vice Chairman W.R. "Skeet" Von Harten, a Republican, will defend his District 9 seat against Democrat Reuben Greene, a former member of the Beaufort County Board of Education.

Questions on the ballot today include two statewide questions along with the county's sales tax proposal.

Voters will decide whether the legislature should eliminate the state's minibottle requirement for mixed drinks in restaurants and whether property with more than 10 shareholders should receive an increased agricultural exemption.

The local referendum question concerns raising the sales tax by 1 cent to pay for $122 million in primarily road and park improvement projects. The project list includes money for access roads on U.S. 278 and $4.5 million to repair and renovate Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park.

In the city of Beaufort, Mayor Bill Rauch will face two challengers: City Councilman Billy Keyserling and business owner Peter White.

Six candidates, Charlotte Pazant Brown, Gary Fordham, George O'Kelley, Ron Petit, Christine Seabrook and Paul Sommerville, are vying for two at-large seats on the Beaufort City Council. A seventh candidate, Randy Wood, dropped out of the race months ago but will still appear on today's ballot.

Voters on Fripp Island will select four members for the island's Public Service District commission. Richard Combes, Thomas J. Griffin, David G. Kobick and William N. Bill Woodward are running for the four open seats.

The commission oversees the private island's infrastructure and fire service needs.

South of the Broad River, Hilton Head Island residents will be selecting a new House member for District 123. Rep. JoAnne Gilham decided against another term, leaving the seat to either Republican Richard Chalk or petition candidate Greg Wynn.

There are also several unopposed races on the ballot this year: