Nevada, New Hampshire, Primaries and Hype

When my husband and I visited New Hampshire for the first time I couldn’t wait to visit Dixville Notch, where the nation’s first Presidential vote is cast at one minute past midnight every four years. 

            Being a political creature I have heard of Dixville Notch my entire voting life.  This is the situation.  In New Hampshire, if every eligible voter in a precinct has voted, the precinct may close.   Dixville is a community of about 75 people, and in 1960 it took advantage of this situation by assembling the sum total of the voters in one room, opening its polls at midnight, and closing them a few minutes later after everyone had voted.  It then reported its results, becoming the, “…first in the nation” to vote.  It has done so ever since and my goodness how New Hampshire likes that distinction.  Now here is the part that few people know.  For as long as I can remember, this Dixville Notch voting has been portrayed as, “frontier Democracy” in action.  We see pictures of the wood paneled walls of the tiny room, the fireplace blazing away against the November chill of the White Mountains woods (Dixville Notch is close to the Canadian border).  You see the people in their red plaid shirts, homespun pants and heavy coats.  Here are the simple people of a small American community, braving the cold to exercise their franchise.  Here is Calvin Coolidge’s America!  Here…Here…Here is the triumph of style over substance!

            Let me explain a little something about Dixville Notch.  All that you have read above is true, with this caveat.  The unincorporated community of Dixville Notch is located in The Balsams Grand Resort Hotel, one of the priciest and most beautiful resorts this traveler has ever seen.  The Balsams (circa 1915) is located on about 15000 acres of lakes, forests and mountains.  It has two golf courses, and both downhill and cross country skiing.  My husband and I ate lunch there (in the clubhouse, not the main dining room) and a sandwich and glass of wine a piece was around $50.  The room where these, “simple, homespun people” vote is actually a paneled room just off the billiard parlor on an upper floor of the main building.  While anyone may go up to the room and enjoy the historical ambiance, a night at The Balsams starts at about $250/person.  It is worth it, by the way. 

            So you see, we have an interesting situation here.  New Hampshire has been raising an unholy ruckus about maintaining its, “first in the nation” voting status for primaries.  It turns out this has less to do with the simple people of New Hampshire, then it does a good hotel with a great P.R. department.  Now, frankly, I’ve got no problem with this as long as everyone knows what is really going on. 

We also have Nevada moving its primary back to February 4.  I think we can thank both the behind-the-scenes negotiations of Mitt Romney and the boycotting of the last debate by Jon Huntsman to thank.  Nevada has made a smart decision.  In truth, it is seldom the first, but the second tier of primaries that show the real direction of the campaign.  If I were a state, I’d much rather bat clean-up than lead off. 

I’m glad cooler heads prevailed.  Personally, a little more time to evaluate all of the candidates and their real qualifications (not the ones the press assigns) could help all of us.  

            Remember how the 2008 Democratic primaries went, and keep the faith.