This is going to be an historic presidential election.

Americans will elect either their first African-American president or woman vice-president next month. But with all the hype surrounding the election, you might have forgotten one important factor - make sure you've registered to vote.

Today is the last day to register to vote in Texas. The forms can be found at libraries, post offices and election offices. Residents can not register to vote online, but they can find the registration form at the Texas Secretary of State’s Web site to print it out for submission.

Texas has more than 13.2 million registered voters, which is about 75 percent of the state’s total voting age population. Total registration has grown by about 500,000 since the March primaries.

Officials are encouraging Texas voters to take advantage of the early voting from October 20 - 31.

Registered voters can cast ballots at any early voting location within your county.

Besides the presidential election, Central Texas voters will be electing a U.S. senator, U.S. representatives, Texas Supreme Court, appeals court and local judges, state legislators, county commissioners and sheriffs.

Most ballots also include a host of important local issues. Austin voters face a school district tax increase and a proposition that would ban tax incentives for retail projects. Hays County voters have a bond issue for road improvements on the ballot. Round Rock ISD is also putting a school bond package before voters.