Strong turnout for gay marriage vote

In this photo made Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, "Yes on 1" campaign posters and a "No on 1" campaign poster are seen at a corner in Portland, Maine. Maine voters go to the polls next Tuesday and will have the opportunity to become the first in the nation to approve gay marriage. (AP Photo/Pat Wellenbach)

Secretary of State Matthew Dunlap originally projected that 35 percent of voting age residents would turn out at polling places on Tuesday. Dunlap now says it appears that the turnout is outpacing those projections.

Another sign is absentee ballots. More than 100,000 people had voted by absentee ballots or early voting before Election Day.

While gay marriage is Tuesday's top item, residents also are voting on tax-related referendums and proposals calling for the repeal of the state's school district consolidation law and an expansion of the medical marijuana law.