A line formed outside Salem Lutheran Church at 6:30 a.m. -- voters ready to cast ballots.

By 8 a.m., more than 100 people had cast ballots in one of two booths and the flow of voters hadn't dwindled.

Elections Judge Eileen Harlacher said turnout was double that of the spring primaries.

What's the issue?

"I'll give you eight guesses," Harlacher said. "The (Dover) school board."

She said the pace was quick and silent as voters walked in, signed in, closed blue curtains in the booths and made their choice. Outside, two camps -- those for and against the existing school board -- passed out bulletins to gain votes for prospective sides.

Eight of the nine school board seats will be determined in today's election. Candidates include eight incumbents and eight from Dover CARES (Citizens Actively Reviewing Educational Strategies).

The incumbent school board members are in favor of mentioning intelligent design in biology classes. Dover CARES candidates think that if intelligent design is referenced, it should be in an elective course, such as comparative religion.

Last week, John Scott, York County's director of elections, said he expects a 25 to 30 percent turnout in today's election. A higher turnout is expected in Dover.

In the primary, countywide turnout was 17.2 percent. But in Dover, 35 percent of voters showed up at the polls.

Steve Myers, a 52-year-old remodeler and Dover Township resident, voted for the current school board because he's

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interested in eliminating property taxes. As for teaching intelligent design, he said he believes students should have options, that they shouldn't be forced to listen to one "theory."

"It's Darwin's Theory of Evolution -- note, 'theory,'" Myers said. "If it were more than a theory, he would've called it Darwin's Law, but he was too smart to do that."

At the other camp stood Susan Kise, a 74-year-old retired teacher who lives in Dover Township. She said she's a Lutheran, but she doesn't want church in her politics or politics in her church.

"I don't think the school board made a diligent effort to research intelligent design before they made their decision," Kise said. "There are problems, this is a constitutional issue and I believe in the separation of church and state."

Polls close tonight at 8.

-- Reach Kathy Stevens at 505-5437 or kstevens@yorkdispatch.com.