SOUTH BEND — Sen. Barack Obama's camp made a strong push to get the vote out, with both local volunteers and people from out of state. The volunteers worked late into the afternoon Tuesday trying to make sure people got to the polls to vote.

Campaign volunteer Mary Stepney was never involved in politics before Obama started his run for president.

“I think what brought me to this mainly, was just listening and investigating the candidates and being drawn to Senator Obama, and getting the feeling that is our chance as a country,” Stepney said.

Former Congressman Tim Roemer says he hasn't slept much the past few days.

“I was on a radio call this morning talking to somebody who said, 'Look Roemer, your Obama people knocked on the door three times to get the vote out,” Roemer said. “We are everywhere.”

Meanwhile, the man who replaced Obama in the Illinois State Senate, Kwame Raoul, also came to South Bend to campaign.

“It's very emblematic of a grass roots campaign,” Raoul said. “This has never been seen before in this country and this is an opportunity we shouldn't squander.”

Some voters, at least, seemed to get that message.

“It's really not about race right now, it's about we need to give everybody an equal opportunity to achieve,” said Kirk Kyle, who voted for Obama on South Bend's West Side.

“I just liked how he talked,” said Beatrice Jenkins, another Obama voter. “I hadn't made my mind up until I kept watching him on television. So then I made my mind up to vote for Obama.”

Obama supporters feel he should do well in Northwest Indiana, in South Bend and Indianapolis. If he's able to hold down Sen. Clinton's margins elsewhere, they feel it could be a good night for him.

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