Interest in the 2008 presidential election is so keen that the Moore County Board of Elections will keep its office open until 7 p.m. today to accommodate last-minute registrations.

Elections Director Glenda Clendenin told a candidates' forum audience in Seven Lakes West Tuesday night that she plans to staff the office herself to make sure no one wishing to vote on Nov. 4 will be turned away.

Today (Friday) is the last day that registration books will be open prior to the general election. People who are already registered in Moore County are not required to register again. The deadline applies only to those who are not registered and wish to vote this year.

The elections office is on Pinehurst Avenue in Carthage.

ABSENTEES -- Clendenin said interest can already be measured by the whopping number of absentee ballots requested by registrants who will not be in Moore County on Election Day.

She said that her office has already received requests for more than 2,200 absentee ballots by mail.

Clendenin warned that voters can expect long lines at polling places on Election Day and recommended the one-stop type of absentee voting. Also known as early voting, this process will begin at the Agricultural Center on Pinehurst Avenue in Carthage on Thursday, Oct. 16.

One-stop voting will begin at two other sites -- the Old West End Gym and the new Aberdeen Recreation Center on Monday, Oct. 20. Hours at the Agricultural Center will be 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hours at West End and Aberdeen will be 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. All three sites will be open from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 1, the last day for one-stop absentee voting.

In the 2004 presidential election, more than 10,000 registrants chose to vote the one-stop way in Moore County.

RALLY -- Democratic precincts of Seven Lakes and West End will sponsor a Rally for Change next Thursday from 5 until 7 p.m. at the Auman Farm on NC 73, West End.

Expected to take part are Betty Mangum, of Pinehurst, Democratic candidate for state House of Representatives; Dr. Abraham Oudeh, of Dunn, Democratic candidate for state Senate; and Tony Berk, an unaffiliated candidate for district attorney.

Representatives of the Barack Obama campaign for president and the Kay Hagan campaign for U.S. Senate will also attend.

The event will be a wine-and-cheese social, and The April Fools will provide live music.

Additional information is available by calling Bill Schmidt at 673-0359 or Ed Auman at 673-7581.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 947-4962 or by e-mail at florence@the pilot.com.