Early voting in the presidential election of 2016 began in Boston on Monday, 13 days before the scheduled Nov. 8 election day, with polling stations open in East Boston, Chinatown, South End, and at City Hall. On Wednesday, early voting opportunities were extended to Dorchester when polling opened at Dorchester House and the Codman Square Library.

All registered Boston voters, regardless of where they lives, can vote at any of the early voting locations across the city through Fri., Nov. 4.

According to the Boston Election Department, there are now 409,000 registered voters in Boston, roughly 20,000 more than in the 2012 presidential election.

On Monday, Mayor Walsh waited in line at City Hall for about twenty minutes to vote. He encouraged others to do the same. “Every single vote matters,” Walsh stressed in a follow-up press conference where he noted that the city has budgeted $670,000 to spend on early voting this year.

By 6 p.m. that day, about 1,500 people had cast ballots at City Hall. Election officials later said that 4,289 had voted at the four open locations.

A number of City Hall voters said that they were weary of this campaign and came to vote early in the spirit of getting it out of the way and being done with it all.

Others cited the added convenience early voting provided. One woman from East Boston said that Monday is her day off and that she normally finds it difficult to find time to vote on Election Day.

As to the five ballot questions, many voters said that they had the most difficulty deciding on how to vote on Question 2, the question on charter schools. While they were talking and voting, the City Council was holding a hearing upstairs on the financial impact of a charter cap lift.

“Doing education reform through a ballot question is ridiculous,” said Councillor Andrea Campbell during the hearing.

Very few voters said they were aware of Question 5, the tax surcharge proposed as part of an approval of the Community Preservation Act, which is Boston-specific and is to be found on the back of the ballot.

While waiting in line, Ashmont resident Roberto Avila said that he had never heard of Question 5. Later, he said that he had done a quick search online and was “still debating but leaning towards voting yes.”

Avila said that he planned on voting yes on Question 2, noting that charter schools seem to be outperforming public schools. He also said he was supporting third-party candidate Jill Stein for president.

Charles Oscar Spencer of South Boston said that he had only registered to vote a few weeks ago so that he could vote for Hillary Clinton. He said that he planned on reading the ballot questions for the first time in the voting booth and deciding then.

When asked if there is anything that could happen between now and November 8 that would make him change his mind on who and what he will vote for, Jamaica Plain resident Andres Strohmeyer, a first-time voter, said, “Absolutely not, my mind is completely made up.”

More early voting locations will open up going forward. This Saturday, a number will open from 12-6 p.m., including Lower Mills Library, Grove Hall Community Center, and Mildred Ave. Community Center.

On Wed., Nov. 2 ,the Strand Theatre in Uphams Corner and the Morningstar Church on Blue Hill Avenue will be open to voters from 2-8p .m.

Voters can call 311 or visit boston.gov for more information on how to vote early. In addition to the presidential race and statewide ballot questions, the ballots in Boston feature members of Congress and the state Legislature, along with some county offices, including the vacant Register of Deeds seat.