Obama Wins Dixville Notch, NH

Dixville Notch, an unincorporated northern New Hampshire township, has followed a unique voting practice since 1960; at midnight, all registered voters in the town of 75 gather at the town hall, vote, and immediately announce their results.

Dixville Notch provides what is essentially the first official number on election day.

And this morning, the village voted 15-6 for Barack Obama.

A deeper look into Dixville Notch shows that, since the midnight voting tradition began, there has never been a larger electorate than in 1988, when 38 voters cast ballots – 34 of them for George Bush (Sr.).

They have had a Democratic majority exactly once, prior to this, when they voted for Hubert Humphrey over Richard Nixon, 8-4. Not the happiest of portents, but I'll take it.

It's going to be a long day...


[And no, Dixville Notch is not an indicator of the election at large. Interesting factoid, yes. Electoral tea leaves? No. That'd be Missouri.]