At long last, polls open in Virginia and New Hampshire

JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Good morning, everyone. Live from New York, this is John Hockenberry. This is The Takeaway, and this is a live special Election Day Takeaway. We are sweeping across the country coast to coast, talking to reporters in key states and precincts all over America, and definitely leading with you, the voices of voters all over America who have waited for this day for so long. Joining us for this segment is Tommie McNeil, who’s Capitol reporter for Virginia Public Radio from Richmond. Tommie, thanks for being with us. TOMMIE McNEIL: No problem, and good morning. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Good morning. And Josh Rogers, who’s a political reporter at New Hampshire Public Radio, he’s on the line from Concord, New Hampshire. Josh, thanks for being with us. JOSH ROGERS: Good morning, John. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Tommie, let me begin with you. Virginia is a very important state in the national poll because it’s really looking like a tossup state, like a state that really could be the bellwether for demographic changes that possibly this election is all about. Explain what’s going on in your neck of the woods. TOMMIE McNEIL: Well, there’s a lot going on. In fact, this morning we’re ? at some point we’re expecting to hear from the McCain campaign. They’ve filed suit [LAUGHS] against the State Board of Elections, saying that the State Board did not send and did not give ample time for soldiers overseas to receive their absentee ballot, and now they want those votes counted regardless of how late they come in. Yesterday we heard from the state NAACP, who decided to sue the state, saying that they weren’t prepared for Election Day, particularly – JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Prepared for long lines, prepared for high turnout. TOMMIE McNEIL: For long lines. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Right, right. TOMMIE McNEIL: Exactly, particularly in minority voting precincts. The federal judge decided to throw that case out. But after talking to the head of the NAACP, Salim Khalfani, he believes that there will be enough complaints and voter disparities where they’ll be able to take the case back today. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Tommie, quickly, the polls show Obama leading in Virginia by from four to six points. Is that what you’re seeing? TOMMIE McNEIL: Yeah, I’m seeing the same thing. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Right. Josh Rogers in New Hampshire, you’ve got a very ugly high-profile Senate race going on up there in addition to the national campaign. Quickly, what’s going on in your neck of the woods? JOSH ROGERS: Well, the presidential race may really determine that Senate race between John Sununu and Jeanne Shaheen. It’s a rematch from 2002. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat, former governor, has been up in the polls pretty much from the start, largely on kind of anti-Bush, anti-GOP sentiment here. The race has tightened a bit. You know, turnout is brisk so far. I’m actually in Manchester standing outside a polling place in Ward 3. You know, there’ve been 100 voters in the door at least since the polls opened a couple of minutes ago. And, you know, a lot of this is going to be determined by voter turnout. The secretary of state here is predicting that 750,000 voters will cast ballots today. That’s about 85 percent of all eligible. And in New Hampshire, unlike pretty much everyplace else, you could register at the polls. And so – JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Wow. JOSH ROGERS: – new voters are sort of a wild card. The secretary of state has predicted 40,000 people to register at the polls, and polling stations across the state have stocked away extra ballots, and in some of the university towns, where the turnout’s expected to be particularly high, they also have printed up some provisional ballots should the official ballots run out. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Four electoral votes there in New Hampshire, Josh. And any early voting in New Hampshire? JOSH ROGERS: There has been ? well, not so much early voting but a lot of absentee ballots. [OVERTALK] JOHN HOCKENBERRY: Just a lot of absentee. Okay. JOSH ROGERS: Yes. [OVERTALK] – JOHN HOCKENBERRY: And, quickly, Tommie, you’ve got 13 electoral votes at stake in Virginia. Early voting in your state? TOMMIE McNEIL: There is absentee voting that can take place early. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: So – TOMMIE McNEIL: Took place last Saturday and the Saturday before. JOHN HOCKENBERRY: But today is the big day. Tommie McNeil and Josh Rogers, thanks so much for joining us.