Early voting may reach 30 percent

PRINCETON, N.J., Oct. 24 (UPI) -- About 11 percent of U.S. voters who plan to vote already have done so and the figure could reach 30 percent by Election Day, Gallup Poll data indicate.

Gallup says in addition to the 11 percent who have cast ballots as of Wednesday, another 19 percent of registered voters reports plans to take advantage of early voting before Nov. 4.

Supporters of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appear to be about equal in voting early, Gallup shows. Obama was ahead in daily tracking conducted while data for the report were being gathered.

The pace of early voting, which increased from 7 percent in Gallup's Friday-through-Sunday average, is about on par with the 2004 election, poll data show.

Gallup reports a slight tendency for early voters to be older.

Results are based on telephone interviews with 2,717 registered voters, aged 18 and older, conducted Monday through Wednesday. The margin of error is 3 percentage points.