First US Election Votes Counted in New Hampshire Deadlocked
The residents of Dixville Notch, a small town in the US, started Election Day with a tied result, reflecting the close national polling in the White House race.
The tradition of kicking off Election Day at midnight has been a longstanding one in this tiny New Hampshire community. Kamala Harris and Donald Trump each received three votes in this early voting event, highlighting the intense competition in the presidential election.
The current Democratic vice president and former Republican president are locked in a tight race, with national surveys showing them neck and neck in the polls.
The voting took place in front of a group of reporters, with the US national anthem played on the accordion to mark the occasion.
According to New Hampshire’s electoral rules, towns with fewer than 100 residents can open their polling stations at midnight and close them once all registered voters have cast their ballots.
In the 2020 election, Dixville Notch made headlines by unanimously supporting Joe Biden, marking only the second time in history that a candidate received all votes in this midnight voting tradition that dates back to 1960.
While most polling places on the East Coast will open later in the morning, Dixville Notch’s early results have set the stage for an exciting Election Day.
Earlier this year, the town surprised many by giving Republican candidate Nikki Haley a unanimous victory in the New Hampshire primary. However, in the general election, three voters chose not to support the billionaire, indicating a shift in voter sentiment.
