DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — Local boards of elections were packed Monday as unprecedented numbers of voters lined up to weigh in for the March 4 primary.

Board of Elections directors said a combination of a winter storm warning, a new law that allows voters to vote early without giving a reason and a vigorous get-ou-the-vote effort made for record-setting pre-election day votes.

"There are 200 people in line as we speak," said Steve Harsman, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections at 12:30 p.m. He estimated 300 to 400 had come in to vote by 12:30 p.m. He said the county had "way surpassed" its record for early voting in a primary. On Saturday, 1,058 came in to vote.

"It's just absolutely crazy," he said.

In Greene County, meanwhile, board of elections director Tracy Smith said the county had to have a staffer stand in line at noon Saturday to turn voters away.

"We had a line on Saturday all day," he said. "People were in line before the we opened the doors."

He said they processed more than 270 voters in less than three hours Saturday. On Monday, the board had seen between 200 and 250 voters by 12:30.

Pamela Calendine, deputy director of the Miami County Board of Elections, said a winter storm warning beginning Monday night had spurred even more early voters to come in Monday.

"People are saying, 'I've got to vote today. I might not get out tomorrow,'" she said.