Virginians are voting at a record-setting pace.

The executive secretary of the State Board of Elections said at a briefing in Richmond that 30 percent to 40 percent of the state's more than five million registered voters had cast ballots Tuesday morning. Nancy Rodrigues said that typically the turnout is about one-half of that pace.

She estimated that more than 75 percent of Virginia's registered voters will have cast ballots by the time the polls close at 7 p.m.

While Rodrigues acknowledged long lines at the polls and some problems with voting machines, she said it is not extraordinary given the historic nature of this vote.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have heavily courted Virginia, a battleground state in the presidential election.