Ohio Voters Head to the Polls

With the credit crisis roiling Washington, Wall Street and the presidential campaign, voters in the key battleground state of Ohio cast their first ballots amid a controversy over the state's election procedures.

Hundreds of thousands of residents -- including vanloads of homeless voters shuttled to polling places by advocacy groups -- are expected to cast ballots before Election Day. This year, Ohio voters can cast an absentee ballot without having to cite a specific reason for voting early, which had limited the practice in past presidential elections. More than 30 states now allow early in-person voting without requiring voters to give a reason.