Dixville Notch kicks off election with midnight tie
In the village of Dixville Notch, located in New Hampshire and home to only six residents, voting in the presidential election began and ended first in the USA, as per tradition. The voting result was a 3-3 tie between the candidates.
All six residents voted just after midnight local time, and the results were announced immediately. Four registered Republicans and two independent voters were among the voters, but the political preferences were evenly split between the presidential candidates.
Interestingly, despite the split in presidential votes, five residents supported the Republican candidate for state governor, Kelly Ayotte. In contrast, in 2020, when five people voted in Dixville Notch, all voted for Joe Biden, despite one voter identifying as a Republican.
The tradition lasts for years
The tradition of midnight voting in New Hampshire dates back to 1948 when it was initiated in Hart's Location, a mountain town with fewer than 70 residents. Dixville Notch has continued this practice since 1960; this year, it was the only community in the state maintaining this custom.
Throughout the rest of New Hampshire, polling stations will open at 7 a.m. local time (1 a.m. Eastern Time). Voting will begin an hour earlier in the first states on the East Coast, such as Maine, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, and Connecticut. In most states, voting will last until 7 or 8 p.m. local time, and the last polling stations will close in Alaska and Hawaii at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
