USA: Voters stream into polling stations across New Hampshire to make their mark in the nations first primary

Record ID: 346488

  • Title: USA: Voters stream into polling stations across New Hampshire to make their mark in the nations first primary
  • Date: 11th January 2012
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa, Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVACDNSCAK6V7IHGFV0T7CR0U72X
  • Story Text: Voters in New Hampshire began streaming into polling stations at 6am local time (1100 GMT) as doors opened on Tuesday (January 12) in the nation's first primary.
    In Manchester, at Ward 1, nearly 6,000 voters were registered. Some 1,978 of them were registered as Republican, while 2,059 were registered as Democrats. More than 1,800 were still undecided.
    Republican front-runner Mitt Romney continued to enjoy a sizable lead on Tuesday morning, according to polls.
    Poll numbers from Suffolk University/7 News indicate that Romney is enjoying 37 percent of the support of would-be voters, with libertarian Ron Paul taking 18 percent of the votes. Former Utah Governor Jon Huntsman is polling at 16 percent, trailed by social conservative Rick Santorum at 11 percent. Former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich is attracting 9 percent, with Texas Governor Rick Perry, who has already moved on to South Carolina, ending the list at just 1 percent. The poll puts the percentage of undecided voters at 7 percent.
    As voters left their Manchester polling station on Tuesday morning, they had strong views on why they had to make their mark.
    "Well, this is New Hampshire. So, I changed my mind about four times, going back and forth among a number of the candidates and then in the end I voted for Newt Gingrich. There is no easy decision. You have to look at all the candidates and everything they bring to the table. And I think I came down to Newt Gingrich because I think the country needs bold ideas, bold leadership and character that is willing to put that into effect and I just wasn't convinced that the other candidates can do that," Paul Di Iulio said.
    "I tend to be one of those people who does a lot of thinking about it and then when I finally get into the ballot booth I look down the list of candidates and make my final decision then," Steve Griffin said.
    "Yeah you just watch it for the last several weeks, I mean, my God, it's a car with, that showed up with the clowns, just pour out of the car. It's just amazing to me. So, you know, I'm in favor of someone who started to do something good, and I want to see him finishing it," another voter added.
    Although Romney could win big in New Hampshire, where he has a vacation home, the rest of the field has a chance for the coveted second place, including Huntsman, who has staked his bid on the Granite State after skipping Iowa.
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