Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris: US election 2024 begins with tie in Dixville Notch's midnight voting

Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris were tied at three votes each in Dixville Notch, the first place in the United States to vote in the November 5 election.

The unincorporated township, located near the Canadian border in New Hampshire’s northernmost region, has only six registered voters: four Republicans and two undeclared.

The New Hampshire town, located along the US-Canada border, has been one of the first communities in the country to report its presidential preference for over 60 years.

In keeping with a decades-long tradition, the town’s six registered voters gathered at the historic yet dormant Balsams Hotel to cast their secret ballots.

The polls closed By 12:07 am ET and the votes were quickly tallied and announced, hours before any other precinct in the United States opened.

In 2020, all five votes went to Joe Biden, while in 2016, Hillary Clinton narrowly won by receiving four of seven votes.

Though its tiny population means the outcome is hardly predictive of state or national results, the early voting ritual in Dixville Notch is one of the most eagerly followed in US election culture. Shortly after all votes are submitted, they are counted and announced in a brief ceremony, allowing Dixville Notch to publish its results almost immediately.

New Hampshire state law allows towns with very small populations, such as Dixville Notch, to open and close their polling places early if all registered voters have cast their ballots.

The tradition began in 1960, when a local businessman and hotel owner, Neil Tillotson, wanted to bring a bit of spotlight to his small community while encouraging participation in the democratic process.