Update: 3:50 p.m. Tuesday

Many first-time voters cast their ballots at the University of Kansas’ Burge Union on Tuesday.

A line of KU students stretched out the door of the conference room where ballot booths were set up for the students who live and are registered to vote on Daisy Hill.

Tyler McLaughlin, an 18-year-old KU student from Maize, said he was excited to cast his first ballot. He said he wanted to vote because he learned the importance of his civic duty and responsibility during a U.S. history class in high school.

“Just taking that class inspired me, and I need to vote to cause the change I want to see in the world,” he said.

As of 3 p.m., Douglas County has recorded a total of 37,334 ballots cast throughout the county, with 14,980 cast on Election Day. Polls close at 7 p.m.

Based on the numbers at an early voting location on campus, student voting in midterm elections seems to have increased this year. While younger voters are often considered as the least likely to cast a ballot in midterm elections, McLaughlin said he’s seen a lot of people his age making sure they voted.

“All of my friends are voting and a lot of them are doing early voting,” he said.

Addison Balderston, a 19-year-old student from St. Louis, also cast her first ballot at the Burge Union. She said she’s excited to cast a ballot for the candidates in the Republican Party.

“Unfortunately I was not old enough for the presidential election (in 2016), but I still went with my mom because I believe in voting,” she said.

KU students were also casting ballots off campus. Katherine Lamar, a 20-year-old KU student who voted at the Carnegie Building at 200 W. Ninth St., said she was inspired by candidates this year to vote for the first time.

“The sides are so opposite that this year, this election, there have been people who are coming from a middle ground,” she said. “It’s really the first time I’ve read the news and gotten interested in the political candidates so I thought it was important.”

Lamar, who is from Prairie Village, did not vote in the 2016 election, although she was old enough. She said her voting experience went well and noted that she was surprised the ballot included pen and paper.

Halie Larimore, a 22-year-old student from Wichita, said she was voting for the second time. She said she believes this election is “extremely important.”

She has seen a major push from her peers on social media to get young people to vote.

“The situation in our country right now needs more people voting, especially young people,” she said.