In a longstanding tradition, the small town of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, made national news early this morning by casting the first votes of the 2024 election.
At midnight, the town’s six residents gathered to cast their ballots, resulting in a surprising tie between GOP nominee Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, with each receiving three votes.
This split is notable, as the town leaned toward Democrats in both 2016 and 2020, voting unanimously for Joe Biden four years ago and giving Hillary Clinton the majority in 2016.
However, this year’s tie reflects New Hampshire’s status as a battleground state, with recent polling showing Trump holding a slight edge.
Located just south of the Canadian border, Dixville Notch has captured the nation’s attention every presidential election year since 1960 by voting at the stroke of midnight and immediately reporting results.
The tradition takes place at the historic Balsams Hotel, a local landmark that is currently closed for redevelopment.
With such a small voting population, the town completes its vote count within minutes, allowing it to deliver the first results before most of the country has even woken up.
This year’s voters included four Republicans and two independents, creating a perfectly split result down party lines.
Despite its small scale, Dixville Notch’s unique tradition draws a crowd of reporters, who often outnumber the voters, drawn by the symbolic weight of the town’s early vote.
It serves as an unofficial kickoff to Election Day and a barometer, albeit a tiny one, of voter sentiment in the state and potentially nationwide.
Les Otten, who is overseeing the redevelopment of the Balsams Hotel, spoke about the significance of Dixville Notch’s tradition in civic education.
“It’s a civics lesson for the country,” he said, emphasizing the importance of each American exercising their right to vote.
“If we can help people understand that voting is an essential part of their right as American citizens, that’s perhaps the key to what we’re doing.”
Otten also shared his personal commitment to the ritual, saying, “As long as we’re here and we’re property owners and we have, you know, our toothbrush in our bathrooms, we might as well exercise our right to vote.”
This sentiment highlights the dedication of Dixville Notch residents to preserving a piece of American electoral history, marking the town as a symbol of civic duty in every presidential election.
