SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- It may only be a county straw poll, but some are serious about this early test for Republican presidential candidates.

An anonymous mailing critical of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney turned up just days before Thursday's vote, and campaigns were phoning recorded messages to residents and filling mailboxes with glossy brochures.

The candidates themselves have also flooded this South Carolina town in the last two weeks. Organizers expect some 2,000 people to cast ballots, even though the primary is nearly a year away.

At least one mailing -- a six-page letter -- attacked Romney's record on abortion, gun control, taxes and "conservative values," according to The (Columbia) State newspaper.

"Attacks launched by individuals or campaigns are always anonymous because the information they are peddling contains a distortion or an outright falsehood," said Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Romney's campaign.

Arizona Sen. John McCain is thought to be the front-runner in early voting South Carolina, where his bid for president was sidetracked in 2000. McCain was the target of attacks similar to the Romney mailing during that primary.

"We are touting Senator McCain's commonsense conservative record and are not engaging in any anonymous personal attacks," said McCain spokesman Adam Temple.

Straw poll voters may choose from 11 announced presidential candidates or those who have set up exploratory committees.

County GOP Chairman Rick Beltram said at least five campaigns actively worked to get out the vote.

"If it's 12 hundred to 15 hundred, I think the grass roots are starting to pay attention," Beltram said. "If it's less than a thousand, I would say people are still sleeping on this and all the polls and everything we hear are probably meaningless."

Romney's campaign said it was more concerned about organization than winning the straw poll.

"The most important poll is the one that is going to be held during the South Carolina primary," Madden said.