Update: New Hampshire - Voter Turnout

Anybody care to report how things are going in New Hampshire?  I have to believe there is a huge desire by Democrats wanting to know what is currently happening during the final few hours of the country's first primary.

I'll include a couple of snippets, and then rely on other's to keep us updated.

Update: More Voter turnout stories showing up.  Rumors of Obama and Edwards both doing extremely well.  I don't have sources for the Edward's plug, but coworker saying she heard it on Seattle Progressive radio.

Added Story

Record Turnout

Amid record voter participation in the milestone New Hampshire primary, most polls show Barack Obama winning on the Democratic side and John McCain favored for the Republicans.

For the moment the big story was the turnout amid unusually mild weather. By 2:30 this afternoon, a whopping 1,782 of 4,900 registered voters -- or 36 percent -- in the Amherst Street Elementary School ward had already voted, according to Henry Klementowicz, the selectman here.

Record Turnout Predicted

The secretary of state, Bill Gardner, predicted that at least a half-million people would vote in the primary. The last time both parties had open contests with no incumbent, in 2000, nearly 400,000 people turned out, or 44.4 percent of the eligible voters.

Heavy Turnout Reported

At the Brookside Congregational Church in Manchester, the lines of voters stretched from the voting booths down a long hallway, and out to the parking lot.

The voters came to the polls on an unusually warm and sunny day for this time of year, and many new voters stood in line to register.

Youth Vote Surging

Record voter turnout is expected today in New Hampshire, with 18-29 year old voters turning out big once again. Youth turnout more than tripled in Iowa, due in large part to youth mobilization efforts.

•  I'll do my best to keep this updated

  Thanks for any input you have.

  by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:21:12 PM PDT

  •  FYI

    Liveblogging from the NH primaries, courtesy of "Brave New Films" (Cenk Uygar and Gen.Clark, etc) schedule:

    7:10: Robert Greenwald, Brave New Films
    7:40: Matthew Yglesias, The Atlantic
    7:50: Robin Abcarian, L.A. Times
    8:00: Billy Wimsatt, League of Young Voters
    8:10: Rachel Sklar, The Huffington Post
    8:20: Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake
    8:30: Jim Dean, Democracy For America
    8:40: Steve Clemons, The Note
    9:00: Lane Hudson, News for the Left
    9:10: Isaiah Poole, TomPaine.com
    9:40: James Rucker, Color of Change
    10:00: Liza Sabater, Culture Kitchen
    10:10: Eric Boehlert, Media Matters

    ...and more still being added...

    Link to the liveblog webcast HERE.

    by Lisa Lockwood on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:24:30 PM PDT

  •  Good to know...

    ... I'm not the only one jonesing here for news! I have to go out tonight from 7 to 9, and I told my husband to call me with updates!

    by Writebrain on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:26:48 PM PDT

    •  If enough people recommend,

      then it will not be going away so soon.

      by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:34:55 PM PDT

•  I've heard that North Country is having large

  turnout.  Not sure who this helps.

  by IowaEdwardsSupporter on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:22:22 PM PDT

  •  The Democrats

    I want turnout quite aside from which candidates.  I want my America back!

    by Rolfyboy6 on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:39:47 PM PDT

  •  North Country

    Is that a county, or description of a particular area?

    by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:52:35 PM PDT

    •  North Country NH

      see this map:  http://www.freestateproject.org/...

      You'll  notice that about 2/3 of the way up the state, the NH/VT border turns sharply eastward. Everything north from a line formed by that turn in the boundary is a reasonable definition of "North Country".  Basically, it's the part of the state where you can't get there from here.

      by ActivistGuy on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 03:54:56 PM PDT

•  Umm I'll bite.

  It is unseasonably warm but there is still some snow on the ground.

  by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:22:39 PM PDT

  •  Ouch

    That bite hurt a little.

    by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:52:52 PM PDT

•  You'll find some at Blue Hampshire

  Blue Hampshire Link

  by zed on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:22:49 PM PDT

•  I am on the ground in New Hampshire.

  The ground is kind of pebbly, with some sticks and a few little rocks that look just like ordinary gravel.

  Back to you, Chet.

  by Kevvboy on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:23:49 PM PDT

  •  Lies I tell you!

    Lies!  You know there is snow why are you covering it up!?!!!

    by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:25:15 PM PDT

    •  Not on the ground where I lie.

      Before I was on thin ice but I crawled over here to give my report on the ground.

      by Kevvboy on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:26:34 PM PDT

      •  Just as long as

        you don't get caught between a rock and a hard place.

        by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:29:52 PM PDT

        •  I ran into the rock when I got off the

          thin ice, shuttled between there and the hard place, and wound up right back where I started.

          It is getting cold here on the ground.  shiver

          Back to you, Evel.

          by Kevvboy on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:35:01 PM PDT

        •  Hard not to do in NH

          Isn't New Hamshire made out of rocks?

          by skohayes on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:45:25 PM PDT

          •  What made you think that?

            Just because it is called the granite State you shouldn't make assumptions.

            ps I cried when the Man in the Mountain fell and I don't even live in New Hamshire.  

            by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:47:41 PM PDT

            •  I knew it had something to do with rocks

              Too bad about the Old Man, there could have been some apt comparisons to John McCain or Fred.
              (by the way, I really do know how to spell New HamPshire)

              by skohayes on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:53:07 PM PDT

              •  Oh drat

                I missed that.

                by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:55:33 PM PDT

            •  Man in the Mountain

              Another tragedy that happened during Bush's term.  Wish I could blame that on him.

              by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:03:23 PM PDT

              •  Is this an "Infrastructure" Issue?

                Just asking /snark

                by dangoch on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:54:10 PM PDT

    •  I'd have thought it was the snow

      that was doing the covering-up.

      by DarthParadox on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:31:46 PM PDT

      •  Didn't think that

        they would get to snow.  Snow was so pure.  Oh well, all is lost.  I wonder what's on TV?

        by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:33:40 PM PDT

  •  "few..rocks that look just like ordinary gravel"

    Don't you mean a "lot of Baracks and not much Gravel"?

    by cmnh on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:31:19 PM PDT

    •  That was just awful

      but they made me rec you.

      by newfie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:32:40 PM PDT

•  Voted this morning

  In a large town in southern New Hamphsire. Turnout was HEAVY, I was pleasantly surprised. No line but the place was mobbed.

  by Scoonie on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:24:16 PM PDT

•  Man

  this turnout is awesome. If I were a rethug running just about anywhere later this year, I'd be afraid. I'd be ver very afaid.

  by Drewid on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:25:17 PM PDT

•  Here in Seattle

  it was fun listening to Dave Ross report from NH this morning on KIRO.  He said they were running out of Democratic ballots, and that the restaurant where he has been camping out with a lot of other media types had had to close because they ran out of food!

  by oscarsmom on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:27:33 PM PDT

  •  Hey, I heard this too (on XM POTUS channel)

    That because of the high turnout, they were worried about running out of ballots and had very long lines down in the seacoast towns.
    Either way, it sounded like turnout might break some records!
    Great job to all the Democratic workers out there getting out the vote!!

    by skohayes on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:49:57 PM PDT

    •  Yeah, you go guys! :)

      by oscarsmom on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:11:26 PM PDT

•  Can I just say

  ALL OF THIS IS SO AWESOME!!  Every day I wake up on this dream world, where Democrats are turning out in droves, my candidate is actually winning, and history is being made!

  If all this pans out, it will mean Iowa was no fluke and Obama genuinely is capable of transforming our party and our country.

  by oscarsmom on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:29:17 PM PDT

  •  You just did.

    And I echo that comment.

    by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:33:51 PM PDT

  •  Ain't it cool, awesome

    and stupendous....

    by MKS on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:06:16 PM PDT

•  Just back

  I've put about 17 miles on my feet in the last few days and made untold calls but have absolutely no idea how this will turn out.  Voters are holding their cards close and many seem genuinely uncertain which candidate to choose.  I'm not surprised at the turnout.  The one thing we kept hearing was that voters are happy to have good options for a change.

  by MoonWomyn on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:32:19 PM PDT

  •  Thanks for putting in the effort.

    It is hard work walking precincts.  Some experience here.

    by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:53:42 PM PDT

    •  oddly enough

      It passes for fun in our house  :)  And it was better than two days in the office!

      Seriously I love living next door to NH.  Makes me feel like I can do something to help move things along.

      by MoonWomyn on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 01:55:40 PM PDT

      •  In California

        Everything, except local elections are already decided before I get to vote.  

        In San Diego, Republicans control city, but Democrats get elected to statewide offices (except Arnold).

        by egarratt on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:05:26 PM PDT

        •  same in VT

          By March no one ever cares about our tiny little pool of delegates.

          by MoonWomyn on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:09:51 PM PDT

  •  well Dodd and Biden are still on the ballot

    so that is very true.

    by NYFM on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:06:50 PM PDT

•  Turnout

  I'm using this comment as a book mark for this diary.

  by Timothy Scriven on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:05:39 PM PDT

  •  are you aware

    that you can click on the plus-sign button to the right of the diary's title and that will move the diary to your "hotlist"?

    just fyi, in case you didn't know.

    by Pandoras Box on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:30:06 PM PDT

•  Didn't realize that NH *also* votes for VP!

  Judging by the posts on BlueHampshire, a number of folks have written in Al Gore.  The VP numbers ought to be verrrrrrry interesting, eh?

  by sxwarren on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:11:06 PM PDT

•  Even around 9 this morning there was no waiting

  but a fast moving line in my town. I noticed on the way out the marking system they were using on the checklist to keep track of Independents who had chosen one of the ballots to vote in the primary (which puts you in that party for a day) then chose to change back to Independent again on the way out the door. There was name after name with a big D after it, and although I'm sure I imagine there were Independents who changed to Repub to vote for Paul, I didn't see any marked. I did notice way more Richardson supporters in the intersection than I ever expected. The Hillary people plastered the place with signs so we'll have to see how she did here...

  by peaceloveandkucinich on Tue Jan 08, 2008 at 02:11:58 PM PDT