IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers BEHIND THE SCENES—Poll worker Gary Hartjen rolls up the long list of ballot receipts streaming out of the optical ballot scanning machine at the Ventura County Library in Simi Valley Tuesday evening. According to a recently released report by The Field Poll, a San Francisco-based survey group, 13.6 million California voters went to the polls Tuesday. Simi Valley voters flocked to the polls Tuesday, citing the economic crisis, Proposition 8 and a desire for change as catalysts for casting their ballots.

Sandy Rosenfeld, 69, was one of those voters.

"It's our civic duty," she said Tuesday on her reason for voting. "And there are a lot of issues on the ballot that are important to vote on right now, and a lot of controversy."

Across the county—and the nation—a record number voters also felt a push to the polls in what many referred to as a historic election year.

According to the California Secretary of State website, 81 percent of eligible voters, or 425,968 people, in Ventura County were registered to vote by Oct. 20, the last day to register.

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library was one of the city's busier polling places, with a line of about 50 people waiting outside before it opened at 7 a.m.

Precinct inspector Richard Cooper said it took an hour to clear the line and that for the rest of the day the library saw a steady stream of voters, with 25 to 30 people casting their ballots every half-hour.

By late afternoon, the site had already seen more than 700 voters, and Cooper said he expected a large after-work rush that would probably bring the day's total to 1,000 voters.

"This is the largest turnout I've ever seen," said Cooper, who's worked at least 10 elections before. "I think it's because of the voter interest in not only the candidates for the various government offices but (also) the propositions that are on the ballot."

Beth Wike said she thought what was driving people to the polls was the need for change and making a difference.

"I think it's because people have been so dissatisfied with the government over the last eight years and can see that government has not really be representing the people," the 76yearold said.

Fellow resident Cole McCaslin, 40, agreed. Although he didn't vote in the 2004 presidential election, he said, he felt compelled to do so this year.

"There've been situations existing in government, not necessarily local government but federal government, that I wanted to speak my piece on," McCaslin said. "It's been a long time since I've felt that I really needed to get in there and let my voice be heard."

Many pinpointed the country's economic woes as the No. 1 reason for the large voter turnout.

"If I could tell the (next) president anything, I would tell him, 'Please help this economy,'" said Tony Ruiz, 43. "The economy is killing everybody."

Similarly, voters were concerned about the ballot initiatives since about half of them came with million- or billion-dollar price tags attached.

"My husband and I decided that on a lot of the propositions we voted 'no' because we don't have money," Edith Albrecht, 70, said. "Some of them are good but the funds are not there, so why vote 'yes' and increase the debt?"

However, the proposition that drew the most interest didn't have to do with money. Nearly all of the people the Simi Valley Acorn spoke to on Tuesday said Prop. 8 was a major issue for them this election.

Though she did not vote in 2004, Bette Canale, 67, said Prop. 8 brought her to the polls because her son is gay.

"I realize everybody has their own opinion, but I think that most people that have a 'yes' vote really don't know the gay community that well," Canale said. "I think they have the right to a relationship that is committed and legal."

Bill Jones represented the other side of the coin. He said he is for conservative, Christian family values.

"We're just very concerned about the aggressive encroachment of the homosexual agenda and feel it's just very important to defend family at this point or we'll never be able to," the 58year-old said.

The historical significance of the outcome of the presidential race also inspired people to get involved.

"With the presidential election we got a couple new things we haven't seen— a possible female vice president, a possible African American president," said Jimmy Cuillard, 28. "It's not just two old white guys running for president as it usually is."

The strong opinions on both sides of the presidential race as well as the candidates' long and heavily covered campaigns also brought out more people, Jones' son, Matt, said.

"Elections are like sports: The thing that gets people out the most is to see their side win and the other side lose," the 33yearold said.

Gary Trammell, 69, who has worked the polls in year's past, said that whatever sparked the surge to the polls this year, he is pleased with Simi's voter turnout.

"There have been elections where people haven't bothered coming out—they just weren't interested," he said. "So I'm glad to see this."