FLORIDA - Almost a thousand Florida A & M students, faculty, and administrators voted today.

As Channel Three Capitol Reporter Mike Vasilinda tells us, the show of support has eclipsed any previous first day of early voting.

The students, almost a thousand strong, left the Florida A & M campus led by their president.

Dr. James Ammons/FAMU President
"We're going to make our mark today, the rattlers of Florida A&M."

Along the march route the band played, and the sense these students were making history hung in the air.

Robert Jones/Orlando
"I feel today is a very important day in history. Hope to elect the first black president of the United States."

Zahir Roberts/Live Oak
"It's the day we start initiating change."

45 minutes later the courthouse lawn in Tallahassee resembled a revival.

Rev. RB Holmes/FAMU Trustee
"Young people, you have literally changed this country."

By all accounts this effort set a record for the first day of early voting."
By early afternoon, the supervisor of elections said just over 1,000 votes had been cast.

Ion Sancho/Leon Supervisor of Elections
"Early voting is really going to set all-time records here in Leon County. I would probably say across the state, they're going to set records as well."

It wasn't just students who were caught up in the excitement. 86 year old Jewell Teston waited patiently to cast her early vote.

Jewell Teston/Voter "I always vote, and I'm 86. And I always voted, all my life."
And before the day was out a second wave of students, this time from Florida State, headed en mass for the early voting site, confirming that student interest may be at an all time high.Early Voting March From FAMU Campus