FILE - Jim Smith steps out of a voting booth after marking his ballot at a polling site for the New Hampshire primary, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
FILE - Jim Smith steps out of a voting booth after marking his ballot at a polling site for the New Hampshire primary, Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2016, in Nashua, N.H. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — New Hampshire has backed Democrats in seven of the last eight presidential elections, though it has been a battleground state in many of those years due to the tight margins of victory. Republican former President Donald Trump, who faces Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris and two third-party candidates, has won New Hampshire’s leadoff GOP primary three times but lost the state the past two general elections.
Former U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican, faces former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, a Democrat, in the race to replace Republican Gov. Chris Sununu, who isn’t seeking reelection after serving four terms.
There’s also an open seat in the 2nd Congressional District, where Democrat Maggie Goodlander faces Republican Lily Tang Williams. In the 1st District, Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas faces Republican Russell Prescott as he seeks a fourth term.
New Hampshire reports its vote at the township or ward level, not by county, and it counts the vast majority of its votes on election night. Each town or ward usually releases all of its results in a single update. Historically, less than one in 10 ballots in New Hampshire are cast before Election Day, as the state requires an excuse to vote absentee.
The AP does not make projections and will declare a winner only when it has determined there is no scenario that would allow the trailing candidates to close the gap. If a race has not been called, the AP will continue to cover any newsworthy developments, such as candidate concessions or declarations of victory. In doing so, the AP will make clear that it has not yet declared a winner and explain why.
Here’s a look at what to expect in the 2024 election in New Hampshire:
Election Day
Nov. 5.
Poll closing time
7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. ET, depending on the municipality.
Presidential electoral votes
4 awarded to statewide winner.
Key races and candidates
President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green).
Governor: Ayotte (R) vs. Craig (D) and one other.
1st Congressional District: Pappas (D) vs. Prescott (R).
2nd Congressional District: Goodlander (D) vs. Williams (R).
Other races of interest
State Senate, state House, Executive Council, Question 1 (raise judicial retirement age).
Registered voters: 890,518 (as of Sep. 30, 2024). About 29% Democrats, 34% Republican and 37% undeclared.
Voter turnout in 2020 presidential election: 72% of registered voters.
Pre-Election Day voting
Votes cast before Election Day 2020: about 32% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2022: about 10% of the total vote.
Votes cast before Election Day 2024: See AP .
How long does vote-counting take?
First votes reported, Nov. 3, 2020: 7:22 p.m. ET.
By midnight ET: about 63% of total votes cast were reported.
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