Former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman said he was in "good spirits" Monday as he prepared to enter a prison in Louisiana to complete a sentence for his federal government corruption conviction.

Siegelman has been ordered to report to federal prison in Oakdale, La., by 2 p.m. Tuesday. The man who has served in four of Alabama's top elected offices, said he is optimistic he will eventually be pardoned by President Barack Obama. Siegelman had served in Alabama as governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

Siegelman was being driven across three states Monday by his grown children, Dana and Joseph, and his wife, Lori. It is about 450 miles from his Birmingham home to the southwest Louisiana prison. The family stopped for lunch in Tuscaloosa.

"I've got my family with me and we're just kind of taking our time getting down there," Siegelman said in a telephone interview.

Siegelman said he has more than 19,000 signatures on his petition seeking clemency, but does not plan to have it presented to Obama until after the November election.

His daughter, Dana, has been organizing the petition drive.

"I am going to need your help over the next four months to get President Obama's attention. I know we can get the necessary signatures that will encourage President Obama to act," Dana Siegelman said in an e-mail to supporters Monday.

Siegelman said he and the family would spend the night somewhere en route before arriving at the prison.

Siegelman had requested a prison assignment close to Birmingham and said he's still concerned is family will have to travel so far to visit him.

Siegelman is returning to prison to complete a sentence of six years and six months. But he served nine months at the Louisiana prison before getting out while he pursued an appeal of his bribery conviction with former HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy, who has completed his sentence and is living in Houston.

Siegelman was convicted of appointing Scrushy to an important hospital regulatory board in exchange for Scrushy arranging for $500,000 in contributions to Siegelman's campaign for a statewide lottery.

The 66-year-old Siegelman was allowed to attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte last week, a week before he was to report to prison. U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller said the former governor was not a flight risk and could go to the convention.

Siegelman has maintained his innocence and said what he did with Scrushy was not a bribe. Prosecutors have maintained it was a bribe.

As the prison drew nearer, Monday, Siegeman said he felt certain he would get his message to Obama and that he would "be home by Christmas."