Midnight Voting Tradition Continues in This US Hamlet. The Winner Is…

Dixville Notch, USA: In the quiet hamlet of Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, the U.S. Election Day kicked off at midnight with a rare, evenly split vote that mirrors the tight competition in the national race. Both Kamala Harris, the Democratic vice president, and former Republican president Donald Trump secured three votes each in this small town, which traditionally opens its polling at the stroke of midnight, long before most of the nation begins voting.

The vote, conducted under New Hampshire’s election law permitting towns with fewer than 100 residents to start voting early, drew attention from journalists who witnessed the proceedings as the U.S. national anthem was performed on an accordion.

Historically, Dixville Notch has sometimes offered early indicators of national sentiment. In the 2020 election, residents unanimously supported Joe Biden, only the second candidate to win every vote since the midnight voting tradition began in 1960. Earlier this year, Dixville Notch voters gave a surprising primary win to Republican Nikki Haley. Although Haley later exited the race due to Trump’s significant lead, this midnight vote suggests that some in the town remain undecided, with three voters choosing an alternative to Trump in this year’s general election.

Most polling stations along the East Coast will open around 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. ET, but Dixville Notch’s early tradition sets it apart as one of the nation’s earliest indicators on Election Day.