Dixville Notch, a tiny township in New Hampshire, has upheld a unique tradition of casting ballots at the stroke of midnight on Election Day, making its residents among the first in the U.S. to vote.
Located in Coos County near the Canadian border, Dixville Notch held its customary early vote on November 5, when its six registered voters cast their ballots in a process that lasted only a few minutes. The result? A 3-3 tie between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in the presidential race.
Resident Annmarie Pintal described New Hampshire as a “purple state,” reflecting the deep division in opinions, even among the six local voters. To the sound of an accordion playing the national anthem, polls opened and closed within minutes, and Scott Maxwell, who has lived in Dixville Notch for three-and-a-half years, described the outcome as a “surprise.”
This midnight voting tradition, rooted in New Hampshire’s history, reportedly began in Hart’s Location in 1948 to accommodate railway workers who couldn’t vote during regular hours. It started in Dixville Notch in the 1960 presidential election when hotel owner Neil Tillotson brought the practice to The Balsams Grand Resort, which has hosted the event ever since. This year, ballots were cast in the resort’s Tillotson House.
Dixville Notch was the only town in New Hampshire to hold midnight voting this year. Though symbolic, the town’s early results draw media attention, with journalists often speculating on what these early votes might signal for the broader election. Despite its small size, Dixville Notch’s voting tradition endures, attracting interest from around the country.
