DENVER -- By all accounts, Colorado is considered a battleground state.

The latest Rasmussen poll shows Sen. John McCain with a slight lead over Sen. Barack Obama with 48 percent to 46 percent.

Because of that, state and local election officials are asking voters to be prepared this historic election.

Election officials are stressing the importance of early voting and mail-in ballots. So far, in Denver alone, 100,000 voters have applied for mail-in ballots.

In addition to this option, there will be major changes for those heading to the polls, changes that many will find familiar.

"We will see record turnout," said Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter at a rally on the west steps of the Capitol building.

The rally was a show of solidarity -- clerks and recorders from more than 15 Colorado counties.

"It's important that no matter how the voter chooses to vote, that they are prepared," said Douglas County Clerk and Recorder Jack Arrowsmith.

After horrendous lines in 2006, Douglas County election officials promised there would be no repeat.

"It wasn't a breakdown in the equipment, we simply didn't have the capacity," said Arrowsmith.

They've more than quadrupled the number of voting machines, from 300 to 1,400.

Denver took a different approach, eliminating machines altogether -- going back to paper ballots.

"After the disasters of 2006, we eliminated the commission, we created an elected clerk and recorder because an election is like a battle. You need a general to call the shots," said Denver city councilwoman-at-large Carol Boigon.

Officials are confident the problems of the past will not resurface. But with passions so high on both sides, turnout is expected to shatter old records. That's why the county clerks and the governor was promoting mail-in ballots and participation in early voting.

"That means that the nation won't be waiting for our results late, late, late into the night or into the next morning," said Ritter.

And you won't be stuck in line.

"But I do want to say very clearly, that if you are in line at 7 o'clock, you will vote," said Boigon

Denver is going back to precinct polling locations as well.

Officials are also asking voters to study the ballot beforehand. This is not just a presidential election. There are 18 items on the Denver ballot alone.