Even before the polls around town opened, wetly, at 7 o’clock this morning, lines snaked down the sidewalk and on out to what was shaping up to be record proportions.

Hoping to be first in line at his polling station, Ken Ruben reported to City Hall at 6:19 a.m. “I couldn’t believe it,” he told the newspaper. “Nine people — nine! — were already there ahead of me.”

The first voter in line told Mr. Ruben he had arrived at the astonishing hour of 5:45 to secure his special position.

By the time the door was unlocked, the crowd had grown to 50.

At the Julian Dixon Library, long lines sprayed in two directions well before the opening.

Former Mayor Alan Corlin reported an unprecedented experience when he attempted to vote this morning.

The backup at the Harvest Church, at the intersection of Berryman and Washington Boulevard, was so imposing that Mr. Corlin wheeled around and went to his day job, vowing to return this evening, when he hopes the wait will be shorter.

“Usually there is only one person here,” he said. “No more. I never have seen so many people here. Say what you will about Obama, but he really has everybody excited.”

Twenty minutes after filing his first report, Mr. Ruben called back.

“I don’t think there’s ever been this many people here at one time — must be more than a hundred,” he said.

By mid-day and later, poll-waiting lines not only shrank but practically disappeared.