With the potential for record crowds at the polls Tuesday, handicapped and elderly voters might wish to take advantage of state laws that allow them to move to the front of the line.

"There is a provision that between the hours of 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., any voter over 75, or anyone with a physical disability, can move to the front of the line in order to cast a ballot," said Richmond County Board of Elections Executive Director Lynn Bailey.

Though the provision has been on the books for decades, this year's expected crowds could make the opportunity more useful to seniors or the disabled -- but they will need to speak up if they want to take advantage of the rule.

"It's not something we're patrolling the lines looking for," Ms. Bailey said.

In situations where a handicapped person has an escort and needs assistance in casting a ballot, that person can also move to the front, Ms. Bailey said.

In South Carolina, voters who are physically handicapped or because of their age can't enter the polling location or stand in line don't have to get out of their car to cast their ballot.

"We have curbside voting where they can vote from their vehicle," said Stuart Bedenbaugh, Aiken County's director of voter registration and elections.

Based on early voting figures, in which more than 43,000 people in Columbia and Richmond counties cast ballots, Tuesday's lines could be quite long. Augusta has 106,615 registered voters eligible for Tuesday's election.