Voters, volunteers, candidates hit the polls for New Hampshire Primary

HOLLIS, NH (KTRK) -- On this election day, you'll find more than voters at the polls and more than volunteers holding up signs, gently nudging those voters toward a choice. Sometimes, you'll catch the candidates making a personal push on the icy trail.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich hit a polling place in Manchester.

"The key is these volunteers," he told reporters. "They're the ground game. The town halls were fine, and great, and I loved them but this is the underpinning. This is the insurance. This is the glue that holds the campaign together."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Dr. Ben Carson hit the same popular diner about an hour apart from each other.

"I tell people to go with your heart and not with the pundits," Carson told Eyewitness News. "That's the only thing that's going to save us."

"I'm gonna keep the focus on the substantive policy and record," Cruz said amidst the mob of reporters crowded into the diner. "I think what the people of New Hampshire want to know is who is going to stand up and defend this country."

It's not just candidates making the personal appearances on election day. Their family members do too. Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and Carly Fiorina's husband Frank were both in Salem, New Hampshire encouraging supporters.

"He's created a movement," said Ivanka Trump. "We're very excited to be here in New Hampshire where the support has been so strong and look forward to a great day."

"Carly believes her whole life has prepared her to fix this country," explained Mr. Fiorina. "She really believes this is what God means her to do."

It is all hands on deck on election day, a mad dash to the finish line.

It does not matter that there was snow on the ground and in the air as election day began. New Hampshire voters were up and ready to do their civic duty the minute the polls opened.

"I'm a good Democrat and I'm voting for the next president of the United States: Hillary Clinton," said voter Diana Apostoles. "We always have (taken our duty seriously). We're a very political state, ever since we were kids. It's part of who we are."

Voters there are known to make up their minds only once they enter the booth.

"I went back and forth," said voter Eileen Marks. "I put the Hillary bumper sticker on my car then put the Bernie bumper sticker on my car. I went back to the Hillary and I ended up with the Bernie."

New Hampshire is small. Just 500,000 people or so will vote statewide. That's half the number of registered voters in the City of Houston, and a quarter of those registered in Harris County. That seems irrelevant here.

"It's important for all of us to make a difference," said voter Lucille Lapointe. "There'd be no change if people don't get involved."

Voting is different in New Hampshire than it is in Texas. In New Hampshire, voters don't have to pre-register. They walk into a polling place and sign up right then and there.

Then they go vote, casting a ballot as a Republican or Democrat. If they're undeclared, they fill out a piece of paper after they vote to maintain their independent status after the election.

Also, the ballot contains the names of a lot of presidential candidates of whom you've likely never heard. That's because all it takes is a $1,000 to sign up to run for president on the New Hampshire ballot.