This is a big deal.

In 2008, a Democratic wave of absentees voters washed over Republicans.

In 2010, things are looking a bit different.

With early voting under way this week, Republican voters in Franklin and Hamilton counties have requested more absentee ballots than their Democratic counterparts -- hard evidence of a much different environment than 2008 when an avalanche of Democratic absentee ballot requests dwarfed Republican requests in both counties.

There has been so much talk of the massive enthusiasm gap as it relates to polling, it's nice to see it's actually coming to fruition.

Considering the massive registration advantages in Cuyahoga and Franklin, these numbers are frankly astounding.

Paul Beck, a political science professor at Ohio State University, said the absentee ballot request numbers so far seem to reflect what some call an "enthusiasm gap" between Democrats and Republicans this year.

"There is Republican momentum that would lead one to expect Republicans to be quicker to ask for ballots and much more likely to vote than Democrats," he said.

Midterm elections usually turn out about 20 percent less voters than presidential years. The early absentee request data should concern Democrats because the drop off is coming from their ranks, Beck said.