The Boston Elections Department this morning announced that, as of 9 a.m., 58,854 ballots had been cast in polling locations across the city. The number represents 15.2% of the City’s registered voters.

In the South End, the morning voting rush was just that, with long voting lines running in some places up to 90 minutes long, such as at Cathedral High School or at the Franklin Institute on Berkeley Street. 

But spirits were still high.

"I expected a long wait, because there's lot of important issues in this election and it's going to be a tight race," said Anthony Jacobs, a South End resident, who had been waiting for just half an hour in a line running for an hour and a half. "I'm just going to wait it out."

Boston election officials announced yesterday they have more than the number of ballots required to satisfy each of the 387,142 registered voters eligible to participate. 

During the 2008 presidential election, 236,525 ballots were cast out of a possible 380,881 registered voters.

In the South End neighborhood (Ward 4, Precincts 1-4 Ward 5, Precinct 1, Ward 8, Precinct 1 and Ward 9, Precincts 1-2) there are 18,206 residents registered to vote. 

Polling locations are open until 8 p.m.