Joe Biden has pocketed his first election victory – by winning all five votes of a small New Hampshire town that’s always quick to declare its result.
The ballots in Dixville Notch on the US-Canada border were cast just after midnight on Wednesday, marking 60 years since the tradition began.
Les Otten, who described himself as a lifelong Republican, cast the first ballot for Biden. “I don’t agree with him on a lot of issues, but I believe it’s time to find what unites us, not what divides us,” he said.
“My vote today is meant to send a message to my fellow Republicans that our party can find its way back. It’s time to return to the values that our conservative government has held historically dear.”
Meanwhile in Millsfield, 12 miles (20 km) to the south, President Trump won 16 votes to Biden’s five.
Election observers often take note of the two tiny New Hampshire communities, but Dixville Notch doesn’t always vote in line with the national outcome. In 2016, the town opted for then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who lost to Trump in the electoral college.
A third community with midnight voting, Hart’s Location, suspended the tradition this election because of coronavirus concerns.
BBC
