Early voting brisk in city race

[TexasStooge]

FORT WORTH -Nearly 12,000 residents -- more than the total number of voters in 2001 -- have already voted for the mayoral and City Council candidates of their choice this year.

But early voting ends today: Sites will remain open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Those who miss early voting may cast ballots Saturday on election day.

The high voter turnout so far is probably the result of a half-million-dollar mayor's race riddled with family feuds, personal attacks and several city issues, political observers said.

"My guess is it's the mayoral election that's getting most of the attention," said Jim Riddlesperger, a political science professor at Texas Christian University. "This is a highly contested mayoral election."