INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than 4.4 million people are registered to vote in Indiana, marking a new record just days before the state's voter registration deadline Monday.

The voter registration tally early Thursday was 4,409,399 — or nearly 70 percent of the state's 6.3 million residents. The previous record for a presidential election was 4.2 million registered voters in 2004, said Jim Gavin, spokesman for the Indiana Secretary of State.

Secretary of State Todd Rokita traveled this week to Iraq and Afghanistan to meet with soldiers and military voting representatives, and said military members are informed and enthused about political races back home.

"Their level of attention and rate of participation is impressive and inspirational, and I hope to see that same spirit and turnout across Indiana in towns large and small," Rokita said.

The number of registered voters could increase as Monday's deadline approaches. People can register at their county voter registration or county clerk's office, or can submit an application by mail as long as it is postmarked by Oct. 6. Voters can also register at Bureau of Motor Vehicles license branches, but the offices are closed on Sundays and Mondays so the deadline to register to vote at a license branch is Saturday.

The Oct. 6 registration deadline also marks the beginning of early voting in Indiana. But voters cannot register and vote on the same day because of the verification process required by state law.

County election officials first verify the identity of the voter by checking Social Security or BMV records, then verify the address by mailing the voter an acknowledgment card. If the card is returned as undeliverable, a registration can be rejected. After voters are officially registered, they can cast an early ballot or vote on Election Day Nov. 4.

"Once they receive the verification card, that's when they actually become a voter," Gavin said.

The verification process is keeping some county election officials busy as the election nears.

In Lake County, there have been reports of fraudulent voter registration applications. One registration filed by a canvassing group was for a Gary man who died last year, Lake County's GOP chairman said, while another was registered to the name "Jimmy Johns" and included the telephone number of a Jimmy John's sandwich shop.

Lake County Election Board Director Sally LaSota said her office is working to check all voter registration applications and verify real voters. That process includes tracking down people who submitted incomplete applications asking for the rest of the required information, such as Social Security or driver's license information.

"We do not ignore any registrations," she said.

It's a good idea for voters to double check their registration status, LaSota said. That way, if a registration application was not completed or if an organizer at a voting drive forgot to turn in applications, the voter would know in enough time to properly register before Monday.

Voters can check their registration status online or call their county election officials.

More than 400,000 new voter registrations have been processed since the 2006 general election. And more than 600,000 people have filed new or updated voter registrations this year. That number includes people who moved and needed to update their records to reflect a new address.

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On the Web:

Check your voter registration or locate your polling place: www.indianavoters.com

Download a voter registration form: www.in.gov/sos/elections/pdfs/VRG7_080108_revision.pdf