something about the issues that face our community."

Two things seem to be fueling the surge: A number of high-profile, competitive races on the ballot and the rising popularity of no-excuse absentee voting.

About 38,000 people voted early in Hennepin County. Elections manager Ginny Gelms said that "smashed through" the previous record of 9,000 for ballots cast in a primary election.

It was the same story in Ramsey County, where 14,000 people cast their ballots ahead of the primary. Ramsey County elections manager Joe Mansky said the primary ballot included a lot of important decisions for voters.

Justin Coyne, right, with daughters Nora, 6, in pink, and Adeline, 4, in blue, votes at the Pershing Park Recreation Center in the Fulton neighborhood of Minneapolis. Angela Jimenez for MPR News

"Ultimately, it's like sports,"he said. "People want to see a competitive game, and that's what we have today."

The ballot includes races for two U.S. Senate seats, a handful of congressional seats, governor and attorney general.

In Minneapolis, there are some open legislative seats with multiple DFL candidates. These seats have long been held by Democrats, so this election — although a primary — is widely seen as the deciding race for those candidates.

In addition, voters interviewed by MPR News outside polling places Tuesday said they were energized by the results of the 2016 presidential election. Immigration, education and women's issues were some of the things that they said shaped their votes.

Tahnea Brown came with her 6-year-old daughter to her polling place in St. Paul.

Richard Gapinski scans his ballot while voting vote at