After months of stumping and an uncommon nationwide focus on the Hoosier state, polls in Indiana finally opened Tuesday at 6 a.m. for Democratic and Republican primaries. (Watch video.)

Activity at polling places varied in the first half-hour of voting from slow to steady. One of the busier locations was Hammond's Edison Elementary School, home to voting for three South Hammond precincts. The appearance of three Chicago television broadcast trucks was evidence of how the eyes of more than just Hoosiers are watching as Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton finish their close battle for their party's presidential nomination.

Rick "Gator" Comanse of East Chicago was at Edison to stump for 3rd District Lake County Commissioner candidate Richard Novak. Comanse said he's been involved in politics for about 30 years and is impressed by the number of newly registered voters coming out for the Democratic primary.

"It's amazing," Comanse said. "We're finally getting a good turn out."

Comanse, a laid off steel worker from Beta Steel Corp. in Portage, said the economy is tops on his list of concerns in the presidential election.

He's voting for Clinton.

"I know I'm hurting with being laid off and a lot of other people are, too," Comanse said. "I think the economy is key. People want to see a change in their wallets."

Pat Rolewski, a precinct clerk at the St. John VFW Hall, said she saw more voters hitting the polls Tuesday.

"There's a lot more young people voting, I've noticed," Rolewski said.

DeeDee Meyers of Crown Point said she didn't know who she was going to pick for the Democratic presidential candidate until she actually voted.

That's when she cast her vote for Obama.

"I almost flipped a coin," Meyers said.

Her daughter, Angela Meyers, an 18-year-old college student, voted for the first time.

"I was excited," she said.

She picked Clinton because she believes she's the more experienced of the two candidates.

Schererville resident Lynette Govert, 40, went to the polls for the first time Tuesday. Govert said that after 22 years of being eligible to vote, it was the possibility of having a female president that sent her to the polls.

In Porter County, Morgan Township resident Jim Daily said he has missed the chance to vote in some primary elections, but he wasn't going to miss this time around.

Daily said he was determined to vote because there are such big issues -- like the Iraq war and the economy, and because Indiana will play a role in selecting a presidential candidate in the primaries for the first time in 40 years.

"Right now, the country is bankrupt because of the idiot in the White House," Daily said.

"Maybe we can straighten it out and get out of the war."

Daily said he thought Bill Clinton was a great president, so he cast his ballot for Hillary Clinton because he believes she will also do a good job.

Morgan Township resident Kenneth Coppage, who has voted for presidential candidates from both political parties, said he voted for Clinton on Tuesday because he would "like a change in Iraq," and because of the country's debt and because so much manufacturing has moved to China.

"I know today's vote is important. That's why I came out," said Valparaiso resident Joanne Brunker.

"I actually think this year they've got someone (running for president) who is not so political, who is more truthful."

Back in Hammond, Mike Repay - brother of Hammond City Council President Dan Repay - said he was undecided on who to vote for in the Democratic presidential primary, but when John Edwards dropped out, he decided to vote for Obama.

"I think their policies are very similar but I think he adds an inspirational element that can put policies into action," Repay said.

Bob Shawver said he was on the fence about who to vote for in the presidential primary until fairly recently. In the end, the Hammond man went with Clinton.

"I think she just has a better plan that Barack Obama and it sounds like he is all talk and no action," Shawver said.

If Obama wins, Shawver said he'll vote for Republican candidate U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in the fall.

Art and Tina Stessl walked to the polls in Hammond hand in hand just after 6 a.m. to cast their ballots for Obama.

"We need a change in Washington," Tina Stessl said. "We've had enough of the status quo."

At the Wicker Park Social Center in Highland, the early turn out was thin. Herb Shaps of Highland said he was happy to cast his vote for Clinton knowing it could make a difference in the fall.

"It felt really good," Shaps said. "It's nice to know our vote might really matter."

Not all voters were out to cast a vote in the Obama-Clinton battle.

Before entering the polls at Edison School, Peter Dick said he has been registered to vote for the last 10 to 15 years, but hasn't voted for president "in quite some time."

"In 2004, I didn't vote for president because there was no one I felt moved enough to vote for," Dick said. "Believe it or not, I'm undecided today."

Dick said he was more interested in voting for school board candidates because his grandson attends Edison School.

Upon exiting the school, Dick said he chose not to vote for president.

"In spite of all the hoopla, I just didn't feel moved enough to vote for the office of president," he said. "I guess I'm a hard sell."

Kathryn Johnston of Hammond said she, too, wasn't going to help decide between Obama and Clinton. She was voting Republican.

"I know that's not very popular around here, but I will be voting for John McCain in the fall," Johnston said outside Edison School.

She said she was not going to cross over and vote for a Democrat in this election just because of the fervor.

"I don't get that," she said of the crossover concept. "I'm a Republican, and that's how I vote."

R.J. Maula is also a Hammond Republican who did not cross over to vote for a Democrat.

"Since (former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney) was still on the ballot, I cast my vote for him," Maula said. "He's the one I wanted to see get in, but in the fall, I'm going to be voting for McCain."

This morning, Obama met with diners at a Greenwood, Ind. breakfast spot and talked to voters at a polling place in Indianapolis. It was an early morning for Obama, who left a late Monday night rally with more than 21,000 Hoosiers at American Legion Mall to shake hands with workers at the shift change at Automotive Component Holdings.

Meanwhile, Clinton spent her morning calling in to radio talk shows from her headquarters in Indianapolis, according to her campaign.

Polls throughout Indiana remain open until 6 p.m.

For updates on the Indiana primary and for regular updates after the polls close, stay in touch with nwi.com throughout the day.

-- Times staff writers Lauri Harvey Keagle, Ken Kosky, Deborah Laverty and Vanessa Renderman contributed to this report.