Believe it or not, primary election began today

Have you voted yet?

It's not a silly question.

Starting today, registered voters can obtain and cast early voting ballots for the May 9 election.

That's more than a month early.

And it's not just military personnel, people in hospitals or under other extenuating circumstances who are voting early these days.

Thanks to a change in Nebraska's absentee voter law in 1999, voters can obtain and cast an early ballot for no special reason.

And more and more of us are dong it. In 2000, 3.8 percent voted early in the primary and 11.4 percent in the general election. In 2002, 5.7 percent voted early in the primary and in 2004, 6.9 percent voted early in the primary and 13 percent in the general election.

Secretary of State John Gale said he didn't expect Nebraska to reach the 40 to 50 percent early voting that Texas and Washington are experiencing, but thinks it could easily reach more than a third of votes cast.

Registered voters must complete an application for an early ballot, and they will be mailed to voters who apply by mail or fax with a county clerk or election commissioner. A registered voter can sign for up to two ballots for other voters, in addition to his or her own ballot, but each voter's signature is required when the early ballot is returned.

And this is a good time to remind voters that anyone who has changed his or her name, address or political party affiliation since the last election should register to vote again.

We wonder just how political advisors are dealing with the growing early-voting phenomenon. It certainly leaves less room for last-minute shenanigans and will transform political races into something more resembling marathons than sprints.

But we're in favor of anything that leaves more time for voters to participate in our most important civic act. It's a tragedy when something like a snowstorm or last-minute demands of job or family prevents a voter from going to the polls.