Earliest returns, Dixville Notch is often an indicator of how the state will go.
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120110/NEWS0605/701109957&source=RSSDIXVILLE — Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman each took two votes as the first ballots were cast in the first-in-the-nation presidential primary.
Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul each took one vote and President Barack Obama had three votes.
This year, four voters were undeclared, three were registered Republicans and two Democrats.
Jacques Couture, 62, won the lottery to be the first voter to cast his ballot during the midnight vote at The Balsams hotel. Shortly after the 11 p.m. lottery, Couture said he had still not decided for whom he would vote.
The tiny ballot room, which had nine booths sectioned off by red, white and blue bunting, was overheated from the lights from camera crews from around the country.
About five minutes before midnight, the nine voters marked their ballot and then waited while Tom Tillotson consulted his wrist watch until the stroke of midnight, when Couture slipped his ballot into the box.
This is where, since 1960, the first votes in the state's presidential primary have been cast at midnight. Although the hotel has closed, nine people still call Dixville home.
“We had about nine voters back in 1960,” said Town Clerk Rick Erwin. “It may have gone under seven at one point, but it's always dependent on what's going on at the hotel.”
The Balsams was recently sold and the new owners are planning an extensive renovation. More than a month ago, optimistic employees decorated for Christmas, hoping the hotel would reopen for the holidays, as it traditionally does.
“We were ready to roll,” said Ray Gorman of neighboring Colebrook, who has worked at the hotel for 33 years. “We thought if it opened before the holiday, we'd be ready.”
Gorman volunteered to be at The Balsams Monday night, helping out news crews with everything from cables to historic information. The bonus was seeing friends.
"There's something special about election night," he said. “I know all nine voters and it will be good to see them — you get used to seeing these people when you work 50-plus hours a week.”
As is another tradition, the news corps outnumbered the registered voters and, as in past years, coffee and refreshments were available, laid out as if there was a full house. Donna Kay Erwin made sure the hotel's logo was arranged the same way on each cup and saucer.
That's just the way it's done, Gorman said.
“That's Dixville,” he said.
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