PEMBROKE - After enjoying 79 percent voter turnout in 2008, Pembroke is on its way to meeting, if not surpassing that number today at the polls.

“It definitely feels busier than four years ago, which was a huge year,” said town clerk James Goff. “I think we'll do about the same this year, maybe a little bit more.”

Goff noted, however, that the appearance of high turnout may in part be due to slowdowns related to the state's new voter ID law.

“I don't know if because we're questioning more and we've got the voter ID law and all that it's slowing down the actual check-in process,” said Goff. “It's hard to say, but I think it's definitely going to be a busy day, no doubt about it.”

The initial confusion and occasional ire surrounding the law seems to have largely cooled in the town. Goff said that while during the primaries in September upwards of a dozen people had come in “looking for a fight” on the law, people in the town seem to have largely accepted it.

“We haven't heard anything beyond the typical grumblings. Sometimes it's just the change that bothers people,” said Goff. “I think we got word out (about the law) pretty good. Most people just want to speed up the process, so if they need to bring their driver's license to speed it up, they're more than willing.”