LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Some Nebraska county election officials are seeing an uptick in their workload as voters cast early ballots for governor, U.S. Senate and other races.

Requests for mail-in ballots have prompted county election commissioners to hire additional staff to send ballots and process them as they’re returned.

Lancaster County Election Commissioner Dave Shively says early voting has grown popular because of the convenience, and it’s encouraged by political campaigns and parties.

Despite the high-profile races and a minimum wage ballot measure, county officials predict early voting won’t top the numbers from the 2012 presidential election. More than 804,000 Nebraskans voted in that election and 26 percent cast early ballots.

Counties mailed the first wave of requested ballots on Sept. 29, and early in-person voting began on Oct. 4.