NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — Election day is officially two weeks away. Early voting is now open statewide, and many Hoosiers are taking advantage of it. “It was amazing,” said Robin Peritt, an early voter in Hamilton County. “Really easy. Lines were quick. Come out and vote early!” As of Tuesday, more than 20,000 people have already cast their votes in Hamilton County with many voting in their first-ever election. “Everyone here really helped and asked if I was a first-time voter and made sure I knew exactly what needed to happen so I could get my voice heard,” said Cecilia Erickson, a first-time voter. The Hamilton County Clerk, Kathy Kreag Williams, said the county started offering early voting for the 2016 election, and since then, it’s been a huge help. “If we relied on Election Day only, we don't have enough equipment and things to make sure we get everyone voted on election day, so that’s why early voting is so important,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of new first-time voters come in, and we are always proud of that.” The number of early voters is rising steadily all over central Indiana. As of Tuesday, there were at least 14,000 early voters in Marion County, 10,000 in Johnson County, 3,800 in Madison County and just over 3,300 in Boone County.  “I believe it's important to exercise that right because we are appointing someone into office, and I want to make sure my voice is heard,” Peritt said. As Election Day approaches, counties will be opening more satellite locations and extending voting hours. Many locations will also be open on Saturdays. Additionally, for people planning to vote by mail with an absentee ballot, that deadline is this Thursday. “We do a lot of work to prepare for these elections, and we want people to come out and vote,” Williams said. “We try to make it as easy as possible with 30 days of early voting here, at the fairgrounds, and the satellites we have opening up too.” And for those who may think their vote doesn't matter, Williams said it very much does. “I always say your vote matters, and you are going to say, ‘Well not on a national level,’ but a lot of times on a local level it does,” she said. “One or two votes make a big difference.” For more information on voting in this year’s election and to find out the times and locations of where to vote, click here.