MANCHESTER, N.H. — It's decision day in New Hampshire and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney is optimistic he will beat rival Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

But if he doesn't, he is assuring supporters he's in it for the long haul.

"I do think it goes through Feb. 5," Romney told reporters in a polling place parking lot.

Romney acknowledged that McCain was an early leader in New Hampshire but now, after the weekend's debate and campaign events, he feels he has more supporters. He said he thinks it will be close and that he is getting support from previously undecided voters as well as young voters. The campaign has contacted 100,000 voters in the past few days to remind them not only to vote, but when they do, to vote for Romney.

Romney, his wife Ann and Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H. greeted voters this morning at the Brookside Congregational Church, the first of five polling places he'll hit to say hello to folks on their way to the polls in today's primary election.

"M-I-T-T, Mitt's the man for me!" yelled a crowd of supporters holding Romney signs, surrounded by supporters for other Republican and Democrat candidates as well.

Romney missed former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee by just a few minutes before the first place finisher in the Iowa Caucus and his entourage left their own meet and greet with voters. The Associated Press reported that Rudy Giuliani chatted with Huckabee just before he left.

Most polling place close at 7 p.m. but some are open until 8 p.m., according to the New Hampshire Secretary of State Web site, so it will be several hours before Romney knows if all the "retail-politics" in the state has paid off.

At a second polling place visit in Bedford, Romney greeted more voters and at least one seemed to be happy election season is over.

"You're a nice guy but you've called my house way too much," said the voter as he walked into the school.

Dixville Notch

The 17 voters of Dixville Notch, a small town near the Canadian border, cast their traditional first ballots of the day. The Associated Press reported that Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. received 7 votes, former Sen. John Edwards received 2 and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson received 1. Among Republicans, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. received 4 votes, Romney 2 and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani 1.

Romney's son Craig and his wife Mary went to the polling place to make one last pitch for support, according to the campaign. All five Romney sons, their wives and children are in New Hampshire today.

In Hart's Location, another early polling place, Obama received 9 votes, Hillary Rodham Clinton 3 and Edwards 1. On the Republican side, McCain received 6 votes, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee 5, Ron Paul 4 and Romney 1.