DURHAM, NH- The Oyster River High School’s auditorium was packed today with resident and students casting their votes for this year’s election.

The doors opened at 7 a.m., but the line of people was already around the corner. The first people in line got there at 4:30 in the morning.

“We wanted bragging rights,” said 20-year-old Kevin Froleiks and 20-year-old John Flynn, students at the University of New Hampshire.

This is Froleiks and Flynn’s first time voting in an election, and they wanted to be the first ones to cast their votes.

Many other residents and students got up bright an early and stood in the freezing cold to be some of the first to put in their vote.

Peter Smith, 70 of Durham, NH was picketing outside the school by 6 a.m. Smith stood outside of the school with his sign for Majorie Smith, his wife, and plans on staying at the school until polls close.

“I’m here to support my wife,” said Smith as he shouts at people who pass him by to “Vote for Majorie Smith.”

Other campaigners lined the sidewalk as more and more people filed into line. This year’s election, some say, will be one of the most significant races in history.

“Fifty years from now people will talk about progress this country’s has made,” said Smith. “Today will be one of the land mark days.”

Finally at 7 a.m. the doors to the auditorium were opened, and people quickly filed in.

People were divided by their last names, and then sent to a private booth to cast their vote. With only a minor glitch in the ballot machine the process was going smoothly.

Town Administrator Todd Selig is at the polls to make sure everything is run as quickly and smoothly as possible.

Selig also predicted a very huge turnout, especially since the crowd in the morning hours was already so large.

“I think we’ve seen more people vote this year,” said Selig.

Town Clerk Lorrie Pitt said that 8,442 people were already registered, and that they expect more to register throughout the day.

“It is a very, very large turnout,” said Pitt. “Four years ago we had 1,684 people.”

Pitt also noted that the majority of voters were Democratic. This could be due to the fact that the University of New Hampshire resides in Durham. There were many students who registered Durham as their domicile, which will greatly change the outcome of votes for the town.

“UNH is a very liberal place,” said Hall Director Aaron Keopeke, 29. Keopeke is the Hall Director for the dorm Serc A, and he believes that there has been more campaigning for Senator Barak Obama around campus then for Senator John McCain.

Keopeke believes that if the university was not in Durham, the outcome would be different.

Diana Carrol, 60, has been a resident of Durham since the early 1970s. Carrol agreed with Keopeke that the students of UNH have a huge impact on the outcome of the election.

Carrol and Pitt both noted that this was the biggest turnout of voters that they have seen in years. Carrol also said that compared to other years she has seen more young people come out to vote this year.

Students were not only voting but campaigning outside of the high school. A group of students were setting up a power vote table outside of the doors at 7 a.m.

Carolyn Johnson, 19 of Medway, MA was one of the volunteers.

“I think it’s important,” said Johnson. “It is election day so it’s the last chance to put in your opinion.”

There were not just students who were at the polls but residents of the town. Many people even came with their young children to cast in their votes early. Dan Beller, 49 was on his daily jog and made a quick pit stop at the school to vote.

Lisa Merrill, 41 came to the polls with her young daughter.

Merrill was slightly nervous about today’s outcome, and is unsure of the voting process and its validity. Either way, Merrill believes it is your civic duty to go out and vote.

“I have to do it. You can’t complain if you don’t vote, so you might as well get your opinion heard,” said Merrill.

Senior Michael Heath, 20 of Concord, NH also believes it is his civic duty to vote. Heath felt relieved once he was finally done with the process, and his excited to see the outcome.

“It felt good to vote today,” said Heath.