Dixville Notch: the US town that launches every election day
The initial local outcome of the US election has been announced, as is tradition, by the small community of Dixville Notch, which consists of six residents.
Election Day in the US begins at midnight in Dixville Notch, making it one of the first locations in the country to announce its election results.
Here’s everything you should understand about the township and its tradition of announcing results ahead of time.
Discovering Dixville Notch: Where Is It?
Dixville Notch is a small community that is not officially incorporated, located close to the US-Canada border in the northern part of New Hampshire. It falls within Coös County and the scenic White Mountains area. The town sits at around 1,800 feet above sea level.
Renowned for its picturesque setting in a mountain gap between Dixville Peak and Sanguinary Mountain, it is also notable for its distinctive impact on US presidential elections.
A ballot worker counts votes at a polling location shortly after midnight on November 8, 2016, in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire, marking the beginning of the 2016 US presidential election voting process.
Why Does Dixville Notch Announce Results Early?
Since 1960, Dixville Notch has maintained an unbroken tradition of midnight voting, with locals coming together to submit their ballots right when the polls open at midnight. This custom was started by local resident Neil Tillotson, who would cast his vote precisely at midnight. After Tillotson passed away in 2001 at the age of 102, the first voter is now selected randomly in advance.
After every vote is submitted—usually in under a minute—the tallying happens immediately, enabling Dixville Notch to reveal its results well ahead of any other place in the nation. This quick turnaround is possible due to the town's small population.
Dixville Notch is famous for its practice of voting at midnight, but there are other towns in the area that have also taken part in this tradition. Millsfield in Coös County, Hart's Location in Carroll County, and Ellsworth and Waterville Valley in Grafton County have all engaged in midnight voting, striving to be the first to announce their results.
Dixville Notch is also known for its record of hosting the most midnight presidential primaries, having held 13 in a row as of 2008. This unique practice has turned the town into a significant spot in American electoral history, frequently kicking off the media's coverage on election day. Consequently, it has developed into a moment of national interest, drawing in reporters eager to share the first results and even make forecasts about the overall election results.
Can Dixville Notch Predict The US Election Outcome?
Dixville Notch is famous for being one of the first locations to announce the results of US presidential elections, but its results don't always forecast the final outcome. The voting patterns in the town can differ greatly from the national trend, though there are times when they do coincide.
For example, in 2008, Senator Barack Obama made history by being the first Democrat to win the vote in Dixville Notch since 1968. He garnered 15 votes compared to 6 for his Republican rival, Senator John McCain. However, the 2012 election brought an unusual occurrence, as Dixville Notch recorded its first-ever tie, with both Mr. Obama and Mitt Romney earning five votes each.
In 2016, Dixville Notch swung back to the Democratic side, as Hillary Clinton secured the community's support, defeating Mr. Trump by a vote of four to two.
Even though Dixville Notch has a small population and its results come in early, they are typically viewed as more of a symbolic gesture than a reliable indicator of the final national results. These outcomes represent local feelings that may not align with the larger trends seen across the country during elections.
