9 p.m.: Valley residents flocked to the polls Tuesday, often standing in long, steady lines to cast their votes.

"The line all day has been crazy," Fresno County Clerk Brandi Orth said of the voters who stretched for blocks outside the downtown elections office.

But by the times the polls closed, there were only a few voters in line, so the counting of the ballots was not delayed, Orth said.

At Chandler Airport in west Fresno, election worker Maria Contreras, who has worked eight elections, said there also was a steady stream of voters, but not as many as in November 2008, when President Barack Obama won his first term.

"It's nothing like that," she said. "It seemed like there was more excitement back then."

Richard Molina, 61, said he voted for President Obama four years ago and did it again Tuesday evening. "It hasn't been easy for him with the economy in a mess and no jobs," Molina said. "I just hope he does better these next four years."

The election brought many senior citizens to the polls, said election worker Lorraine Diaz at the Fellowship Baptist Church on Belmont Avenue in southeast Fresno.

"I guess they are tired of the cuts," she said.

Diaz said one particular voter stood out -- an old military veteran who used a walker and relied on his son to get to the voting booth. "Seeing him was pretty inspirational," Diaz said.

Mateo Soto said he came to the polls to vote against Proposition 30, which would raise the state sales tax by a quarter-cent for four years and income taxes on those making more than $250,000 annually for seven years.

"I'm all for education, but there's not plan to make sure all the funds go to education," he said.

He said Fresno Unified School District has a high dropout rate, yet teachers don't want to be held accountable for low test scores. "Why should I vote for them?" he said. "I would get fired if I didn't produce."

8:10 p.m.: Two polling places in Clovis reported high voter turnout early Tuesday evening.

At the Clovis Evangelical Free Church, more than 60% of registered voters had cast their ballots by early evening, said Greg Holden, a Fresno County election inspector.

"I've been working here 12 years and I've never seen it better," he said of the turnout.

Holden said 560 voters had cast their ballots out of 890 register voters at the church by 6:30 p.m.

At Clovis Veteran Memorial District building, election inspector Stan Dilbeck said about 70% of registers voters had cast their ballots by 7 p.m.

Dilbeck, who has been a inspector for about 15 years, said the turnout was typical for presidential election.

Voters had various reason for voicing their opinions at the polls.

Increasing taxes concerned Tran and Julie Sanders, who voted at Evangelical Free Church.

"A quarter-cent doesn't seem like a lot, but we never seem to get that back," said Tran Sanders, a small-business owner.

"I think (politicians) need to be more responsible at the state level."

Julie Sanders said, "We're expected to balance our checkbooks, they should be expected to balance theirs."

The couple said they did support Measure B, an initiative to fund public libraries.

They see the benefits of local taxes, which isn't always the case with state and federal tax increases, they said.

Greg Mercado said he supported Proposition 30 to help schools.

"I have a daughter going to college and tuition keeps going up and up and up," he said. "It's crazy."

He also voted for Proposition 32 because "you have unions that buy politicians, and I don't think that's right."

2:30 p.m.: Amy Ford voted for the first time ever at the Big Red Church in Fresno.

"I'm 30 and I've never voted before, shame on me," Ford said. "It's a privilege to live in a country where we are free. I feel it's my duty to do my job and vote."

Ford said it was important for her to get out and vote on Proposition 30 for school funding.

"School is not the way it was when you and I went," Ford said. "School funding is important because I have three young children and I want them to have a bright future."

Prop. 37, which would require labeling of genetically modified foods, was also an important measure for Ford to take a stand on.

"I don't like the idea of not knowing what we're eating," she said.

And as for the presidential election?

She voted for Mitt Romney.

"I pray to God I made the right choice and that person will come out and help our country," Ford said.

2 p.m.: The presidential election is high on voters' lists this year, but Tower residents Mindy Thomas and Georgina Ruland are following the ballot propositions.

Thomas voted no on Prop. 32, which would limit union participation in elections. It's a no-brainer -- she works for a union.

Prop. 37 was an important measure for both women, although they voted differently.

Both think it's important for food labels to list whether genetically made ingredients are included in the package. Ruland voted yes, but Thomas voted no.

"It became personal for me," Thomas said. "I voted no because my sister-in-law works for a food company."

The proposition would force companies to spend more money to create labels, possibly at the cost of jobs, Thomas said.

1:05 p.m.: Voter turnout has been steady at the Big Red Church on Van Ness Boulevard where three precincts vote.

Even so, there is no waiting.

"People seem dedicated about voting," said volunteer Brittanee Perez. "It's been a strong turn-out."

More than half of the registered voters in the area have dropped by to cast their votes, Perez said.

12:05 p.m.: Two hundred and seventy polling places opened at 7 a.m. in Fresno County on Tuesday.

It looks like all polls opened on time with no major problems, said Fresno County elections commissioner Brandi Orth.

Here are some numbers Orth shared on how the election is staffed:

-- 1,600 precinct officers assigned

-- 12 were unable to work or did not show, but back-up officers are filling in

-- 208,000 mail-in ballots were issued

-- 87,000 ballots were processed

-- 24,000 ballots are sitting in a warehouse waiting to be counted and thousands more are expected today.

"I've gone to half a dozen (polling places) and turnout seems steady." Orth said while traveling back to Fresno from Orange Cove. "There have been no issues, precinct officers seem confident and capable."

11:15 a.m.: Two-year-old Henry Allen of Fresno knows what Election Day is all about.

The front of his white onesie says "Please Vote." The back tells people that it's their privilege to vote.

His grandparents, Jan Reed and John Proudian, even taught him to tell people to vote.

"It's a privilege to vote because where I came from, I didn't have that," said Proudian, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Egypt.

The couple mailed in their ballots but dropped off a ballot at the downtown elections office for Reed's 93-year-old mother.

Reed said she voted for Barack Obama to return to the White House.

As the nation's first black president, Obama represents "a tremendous opportunity for those who are not white," she said.

11:15 a.m.: Fresno County is making it easy for people to drop their ballots off with several drive-through stops, including one at the downtown elections office.

Just pull up to the tent on L Street and an election worker will take your ballot.

"This makes it more convenient," said election worker Julie Grant.

Grant said about 10 drive-through drop-offs are at polling stations that have multiple precincts voting there.

10:20 a.m.: Kings County elections manager Rachelle Simas reports polls opening on time with just a couple hiccups.

A couple polling stations did not have provisional ballots Tuesday morning but supplies soon arrived, Simas said.

Voter turnout has been good, Simas said: "We have nonstop people."

Staff writers Eddie Jimenez and Lewis Griswold contributed to this report. The reporters can be reached at (559) 441-6330, plopez@fresnobee.com, blee@fresnobee.com or @beecourts on Twitter.