WOBURN - City Clerk William Campbell is expecting an 80 percent turnout on Tuesday for one of the most anticipated Presidential elections in recent history.

There are about 24,600 registered voters in Woburn, meaning Campbell expects about 20,000 to show up to the polls tomorrow.

An 80 percent turnout would exceed the last three Presidential elections, but would still be under the all-time record for participation - 91 percent in the 1952 election.

The big draw is, of course, what is expected to be a close vote count nationally between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama. There are four other Presidential candidates on the ballot - Libertarian Robert Barr, Chuck Baldwin from the Constitution party, Cynthia McKinney from the Green-Rainbow party, and unaffiliated candidate Ralph Nader.

According to Campbell, nearly 1,200 people have already voted by absentee ballot, which he said is an unusually high number, even for a contested Presidential election.

"There's a lot of excitement. Most years, we're right around 800 absentee ballots," said Campbell. "We probably had about 1,200 for the (Woburn High School/White School) debt exclusion referendum (in 2002)."

He advised people, if they can, to vote during "off-hours," between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

"Don't wait until 7:30 (p.m.) and think you're going to walk into a voting booth," said Campbell.

One plus for voters is that Woburn schools will be closed tomorrow for a professional day. Voters will probably be able to park closer to the poll entrances and won't have to worry about as much traffic.

Campbell said he hopes there are no problems at the polls tomorrow stemming from a law signed just last week that allows Massachusetts voters who have moved in the past 18 months to vote at their old addresses.

While the law is designed to broaden access for voters, Campbell said the timing could result in a logistical nightmare for vote counters.

"It's ridiculous," said Campbell. "They keep adding layers that make (voting) more and more complicated."

The provisional ballots for former residents will include only the races for President, U.S. Senator and the state's three referendum questions

Question 1 calls for the elimination of the state income tax, while Question 2 asks voters if possession of less than an ounce of marijuana should be made a civil offense rather than a criminal offense.

Question 3 asks voters if dog racing should be prohibited. In Ward 1 and 7, voters will be asked if state Rep. Jay Kaufman, D-Lexington, should be instructed to vote in favor of legislation that reduces greenhouse emissions by 80 percent by 2020 and phases out tax incentives for energy-intensive projects.

Question 4 will not be on the ballots in Wards 2-6, which is part of the 30th Middlesex district.

The U.S. Senate race is between incumbent John Kerry, a Democrat, and Republican Jeff Beatty and Libertarian Robert Underwood.

The race for the U.S. Representative's seat from the 7th district is between incumbent Edward Markey, a Democrat, and Republican John Cunningham.

In wards 1 and 3-7, voters will be asked to elect a new state Senator, either Republican Brion Cangiamila or Democrat Kenneth Donnelly. They are vying to succeed incumbent James Marzilli, who won a special election last year but opted not to run after he was arrested in Lowell after allegedly harassing a woman in that city.

There are no other contested races on any other Woburn ballots. In Ward 2, state Sen. Patricia Jehlen is running unopposed in the 2nd Middlesex district.

Kaufman and Woburn City Council member James Dwyer are also running unopposed for their state representative seats. Dwyer defeated incumbent Patrick Natale in the Democratic party's primary in September in the 30th Middlesex district.

Tuesday's weather is supposed to be ideal - mostly sunny with high temperatures in the 60s.

Polls are open between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m.