First votes cast in New Hampshire primary at Dixville Notch

Reporting from Manchester, N.H. — The first votes in the nation’s first presidential primary have been cast in Dixville Notch, N.H., resulting in a tie between Jon Huntsman Jr. and Mitt Romney in the Republican race.

Each received two votes apiece, with one vote each for Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul.

President Obama won all three votes cast in the Democratic primary.

There are a total of nine registered voters in the tiny North Country village, and just three who are registered Republicans. Four more undeclared voters were eligible to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primary. There were two registered Democrats.

Dixville Notch has been voting just after midnight in presidential races since the 1960 election. The polling is held at the Balsams Resort, even though it is now closed for renovation.

In the 2008 Republican primary, Dixville voters cast four votes for John McCain, two votes for Romney and one vote for Rudy Giuliani.

At another remote polling place, Hart’s Location, Romney won five votes, Paul won four, Huntsman two, Gingrich one and Rick Perry one, according to New Hampshire’s WMUR-TV.

Polls open in much of the rest of New Hampshire at 8 a.m.

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