A tiny northeastern town in the middle of the forest comprising 12 residents in the US state of New Hampshire have kick-started Election Day at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday by voting unanimously for Democratic nominee Joe Biden and none for President Donald Trump, who is seeking a second term.
The ballots were cast in the minutes after midnight, becoming some of the first cast and counted on Election Day.
The village in the middle of the forest, near the Canadian border, has traditionally voted “first in the nation” since 1960.
By tradition, all eligible voters gather in the storied “Ballot Room” at The Balsams resort in Dixville Notch to cast their secret ballots once polls open at midnight.
Once every ballot is cast, votes are tallied and results announced — hours before anywhere else, making it a favored spot for reporters and observers eager for any hints of what is to come on Election Day.
Despite the attention, the unincorporated township in New Hampshire’s northern tip isn’t always predictive of the eventual winner, or even the state’s pick.
In 2016, Dixville Notch went for then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, even though then-GOP nominee Donald Trump went on to win the Electoral College.