New Hampshire voters headed to the polls today in record numbers. Turnout was especially strong in the southern part of the state, including Derry, Hudson, and Nashua.
Most of the day, the one and only polling place in Derry looked like a shopping mall on Christmas Eve.
More than a quarter of all registered voters in Derry had cast their ballot by mid-morning.
That’s about four-thousand people before 10-30.
Town clerk Majorie Swanson was visibly flustered, a bit exasperated, but still smiling.
She says she hopes she won’t run out of ballots.
"I hope not I’ve got 13-thousand ballots, we’ve gone through 4-thousand ballots already. It’s a zoo, registering to vote lines, voting lines."
The lines were long, but moving fast.
Swanson says there was only one problem; names of some registered voters weren’t showing up on the list.
Still, Derry voter Sam Lowe says it was an easy process.
But the turnout surprised the 77-year-old.
"I don’t think it was quite this busy last time, after the last election, being so close, this time people are coming out of the woodwork, it’s unbelievable."
Turnout was just as amazing in the town of Hudson.
Hudson voter Joanne Lindsey came cast her ballot for President Bush.
"I feel his moral stance is more what I’m looking for and better for the country."
Lindsey had to walk her two kids several blocks to get back to her car because parking was a problem in Hudson.
Town moderator Mike Keenan says traffic was backed up six blocks in the early morning hours.
He says about one-thousand people an hour were voting.
"With a check list of about 12-thousand 700 this could be very well be close to 100-percent turnout, I don’t know if it will be quite that much but I’m thinking it could definitely be in the area of 90-95%"
Keenan says a lot of voters –particularly young people – were showing up to participate in same day registration.
That was the same case in Nashua.
23-year-old Charlie Wakeland came to Ledge Street School to vote for the first time.
"I haven’t voted before, I’ve registered but just haven’t voted but I really hope George Bush gets out of office so I thought I’d help along with that process"
Wakeland wasn’t the only one voting for the first time.
35-year-old Harold Lang never voted until today.
He says his patriotism brought him to the polls.
"Yeah I think it’s really important I felt a huge responsibility and obligation to my state and the country to exercise my rights and do something about the leaders who are in office right now".
There were also lawyers at many polling places in the southern part of the state.
But most said the election was going smoothly, with no major problems.
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.
