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Most were with the Ohio State University Student Democrats, and some had camped out all night, mostly to raise awareness that early voting is starting Tuesday.

 

Pavan Pahrik is with the Ohio Senate’s Democratic caucus at the Statehouse, and told Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler why he was there before dawn.

 

"We just really want to make sure that everyone comes out and votes, I know me personally, I won't ever be satisfied unless 100 percent of the eligible voters vote. It's more important that people are engaged and voting than any one candidate winning. It's the foundation of this country: being able to choose your own government, your own representative government and not enough of us take advantage of it and we need to," said Pahrik.

 

Democrats around the state had planned "camp outs” on early voting eve, to remind their voters that they can cast ballots starting Tuesday, and that they likely won’t be able to vote on weekends other than the final weekend before election day.

 

Ohio Republicans also are pushing early voting efforts.

 

The Romney campaign launched a statewide "Commit to Mitt” bus tour in southwest Ohio Tuesday, and there was a rally of volunteers at Romney headquarters in Columbus before voting began.