It's a sweep for Haley in Dixville Notch

Les Otten, far right, has his vote inserted into the ballot box by town moderator Tom Tillotson shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. All six voters selected Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Les Otten, far right, has his vote inserted into the ballot box by town moderator Tom Tillotson shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. All six voters selected Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

A large crowd of media and spectators watch as town moderator Tom Tillotson inserts Scott Maxwell's ballot shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A large crowd of media and spectators watch as town moderator Tom Tillotson inserts Scott Maxwell's ballot shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

Town moderator Tom Tillotson stands at the tally board after voters cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. All six votes went for Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Town moderator Tom Tillotson stands at the tally board after voters cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. All six votes went for Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

Leslie Otten, developer of The Balsams Resort, speaks to a reporter, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. Otten and five other voters will cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Leslie Otten, developer of The Balsams Resort, speaks to a reporter, Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. Otten and five other voters will cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

A man arrives Monday evening, Jan. 22, 2024, at the Tillotson House where six voters in the hamlet of Dixville Notch, N.H. will cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A man arrives Monday evening, Jan. 22, 2024, at the Tillotson House where six voters in the hamlet of Dixville Notch, N.H. will cast their ballots at midnight in the presidential primary election. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

The Balsams Resort in the hamlet of Dixville Notch, N,H., is seen Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Six residents of Dixville Notch will cast their votes in the presidential primary election at midnight, continuing a tradition started in 1960. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

The Balsams Resort in the hamlet of Dixville Notch, N,H., is seen Monday, Jan. 22, 2024. Six residents of Dixville Notch will cast their votes in the presidential primary election at midnight, continuing a tradition started in 1960. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

Valerie Maxwell and Scott Maxwell, seated, count the votes shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. Annmarie Turcotte and Leslie Otten stand at left. All six votes went for Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Valerie Maxwell and Scott Maxwell, seated, count the votes shortly after midnight in the presidential primary election, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, in Dixville Notch, N.H. Annmarie Turcotte and Leslie Otten stand at left. All six votes went for Republican presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Robert F. Bukaty

By NICK PERRY

Associated Press

Published: 01-23-2024 6:01 AM

DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. — The six registered voters of tiny Dixville Notch in New Hampshire all cast their ballots for Nikki Haley at midnight on Tuesday, giving her a clean sweep over former President Donald Trump and all the other candidates.

The resort town was the first place in the nation to vote in the 2024 primaries. The voters were outnumbered more than 10-to-1 by reporters from every corner of the globe — not to mention by a pile of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.

Dixville Notch has a tradition of first-in-the-nation voting that dates back to 1960, with the results announced just a few minutes after midnight.

With such a tiny sample of voters, the results are not typically indicative of how an election will end up. But they do provide for an early curiosity.

In some previous elections, a couple of other tiny New Hampshire towns have also voted at midnight, but this year Dixville Notch went it alone.

The voting took place in a new location, the living room of Tillotson House, with the Balsams Resort undergoing renovations. It made for a congenial setting, with an 11-month-old golden retriever named Maxine greeting media and voters.

Les Otten, the principal owner and developer of the Balsams Resort, said he was excited to cast his ballot.

“It’s special. It really is,” Otten said. “It’s what ought to happen in every community in the United States, where there is 100% participation, everybody votes. None of the six of us can complain about the outcome of the election, because we’ve participated.”

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Otten said he didn’t agree with those saying the New Hampshire primary had fallen flat this year, with President Joe Biden not on the ballot and Republican contender Ron DeSantis withdrawing at the last minute.

“It always does boil down to just a couple of people at the end of the day,” Otten said. “We’ve got two viable candidates on the Republican side.”

Dixville Notch caters to snowmobilers and Nordic skiers in the winter, and golfers and hikers in the summer. For the primary, it had four registered Republicans and two undeclared voters.