Trump, Harris Tie In Dixville Notch Midnight Vote To Kick Off Election Day

In the small New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump each received three votes, making Dixville Notch one of the first locations in the U.S. to report its presidential results.

According to CNN, this rural community sits at New Hampshire's northern tip, bordering Canada.

Following a tradition that began in 1960, polls in Dixville Notch opened and closed just after midnight ET, with four Republicans and two other participants casting their votes.

Despite the declining population in Dixville Notch, the steady birth rate there is a bright spot for local leaders and political enthusiasts looking for early election insights.

As is customary, eligible residents gather at the now-closed Balsams Hotel to vote at midnight, casting their ballots in secrecy. The votes are then counted and announced hours before other locations, attracting national media who often outnumber the voters themselves.

Les Otten, lead developer for the Balsams project and a voter in Dixville Notch, described the early vote count as “a civics lesson for the country.” He added, “If we can help people get out and understand that voting is an important part of their right as an American citizen, that’s perhaps the key to what we’re doing.”

Otten shared that the Balsams’ redevelopment is slated to begin next summer, adding, “We might as well use our right to vote while we’re here, since we own property and have, you know, our toothbrushes in our bathrooms.”

Nearby towns Millsfield and Hart’s Location in the White Mountains have also held midnight voting in the past, though they don’t participate every election and will sit this one out. These towns were featured in an episode of The West Wing, titled “Hartsfield’s Landing,” depicting a fictionalized version of the midnight voting tradition.

Dixville Notch voters backed the Democratic nominee in the past two presidential elections. In 2020, all five votes went to President Joe Biden, and in 2016, Hillary Clinton received four out of seven votes, with Trump receiving two and Libertarian Gary Johnson one.

During the January GOP primary, all four registered Republicans and two independents in Dixville Notch voted unanimously for former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley.

As the U.S. election approached, several prominent figures, including Joe Rogan and Roberto Clemente Jr., son of the baseball legend, publicly endorsed Trump on the eve of Election Day.

With less than 24 hours until voting begins, actor and podcaster Joe Rogan formally endorsed Trump, putting an end to speculation.

Rogan mentioned his recent nearly three-hour discussion with Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, who has already endorsed Trump via a post on X.

“The great and powerful @elonmusk. If it wasn’t for him we’d be f—ed,” Rogan said, adding, “He makes what I think is the most compelling case for Trump you’ll hear, and I agree with him every step of the way.”

Rogan clarified his position by saying, “For the record, yes, that’s an endorsement of Trump.”

Earlier on Monday, Roberto Clemente Jr., son of the legendary Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente, also endorsed Trump in Pittsburgh, where his father had played.

Clemente Jr. took the stage alongside Trump, expressing his admiration.

“For the first time, I had to take a step forward. It is very important for me to support this man, because I believe tomorrow is a change of time,” Clemente Jr. said. “My father, the name Clemente, what it means is goodwill and unity. I believe that your team is going to bring it all home. I believe in everything that you stand for right now,” he told Trump.