History, importance of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary

MORE DINERS SHOWING UP YET? ANTOINETTE WE HAVE A SECOND ONE. AND AGAIN, WE’RE EXPECTING MORE PEOPLE TO COME OUT HERE. BUT AGAIN, JUST TO SHOW YOU WHAT THE RED ARROW IS ALL ABOUT, I MEAN, LOOK AT THIS. THEY LITERALLY GOT ON THE COFFEE MUGS ABOUT THE 2024 CAMPAIGN. AGAIN, THIS IS JUST A DINER JUST STEEPED WITH POLITICAL HISTORY. AND AS YOU MENTIONED, YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU’RE GOING TO RUN INTO HERE AGAIN. THIS WAS THE SCENE YESTERDAY. FORMER NEW YORK CITY MAYOR RUDY GIULIANI OF COURSE, A MAJOR TRUMP ALLY, WAS OVER HERE SERVING COFFEE FOR CUSTOMERS. AND WE’VE SPOKEN TO A LOT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE VOTERS OVER THE LAST COUPLE DAYS. AND THE LEAD UP TO THE PRIMARY WHO TALK ABOUT HOW SERIOUSLY THEY’RE TAKING THIS, ESPECIALLY THIS PRIMARY AND THEY’RE HOPING TO SEND A MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE COUNTRY OF WHY NEW HAMPSHIRE SHOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE FIRST IN THE NATION. I THINK THERE’S GOING TO BE A REALLY BIG TURNOUT TOMORROW. I’M GOING TO BE THERE. I’M GOING TO DO MY DUTY, MY CONSTITUTIONAL DUTY. I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT. WE’RE REALLY LUCKY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SUCH CLOSE UP WITH THE CANDIDATES, AND IT’S FUN. I MEAN, IF YOU DON’T TAKE PART IN IT, YOU KNOW YOU’RE NOT PART OF IT. YOU’RE PART OF THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION. IN NEW HAMPSHIRE FEDERATION OF COLLEGE, NOW POLITICAL PARTIES ARE ALSO TRYING TO ENGAGE YOUNGER VOTERS ACROSS NEW HAMPSHIRE. SAINT ANSELM COLLEGE HELD A ROUNDTABLE WITH RNC CHAIRWOMAN RONNA MCDANIEL YESTERDAY. YOUNG VOTERS SAY THIS PRIMARY HAS BEEN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE FOR THEIR FIRST ELECTION. MANY OF THOSE COLLEGE STUDENTS SAY THEY JUMPED INTO POLITICS EARLIER AS CAMPAIGN VOLUNTEERS. THEY WILL CERTAINLY BE WATCHING, LIKE ALL OF US, CLOSE

Voters in the Granite State are headed to the polls Tuesday to vote in the first-in-the-nation primary.The New Hampshire primary as we know it today began in 1952 when presidential primaries began to choose candidates rather than only delegates to the party conventions. Before 1952, most delegates selected were not pledged to any particular candidate. Election Info: Live updates & all results | Midnight voting | NH's recordNew Hampshire's primary became the first in the nation in 1920, though. Since then, multiple other states have attempted to take over the first spot until New Hampshire passed a state law allowing the secretary of state to decide the date of the primary and requiring it to be held at least seven days before any similar contest in another state.This caused tension in the planning process for the 2024 primary, as the Democratic National Committee proposed a plan for South Carolina to have the first primary for the Democrats. The South Carolina Democratic Presidential Preference Primary is scheduled for Feb. 3.Scanlan, like his predecessor Bill Gardner, is committed to keeping New Hampshire first and abiding by state law, which required the primary to be scheduled on or before Jan. 27. Last week, current and former New Hampshire state officials met for a round table discussion about the New Hampshire Primary at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.They emphasized the influence of New Hampshire on later states, high voter turnout, and difficulty predicting outcomes as key factors for why the Granite State should be first. "Iowa picks corn, New Hampshire picks presidents," former Gov. John Sununu said when discussing the results of the caucuses.

CONCORD, N.H. —

Voters in the Granite State are headed to the polls Tuesday to vote in the first-in-the-nation primary.

The New Hampshire primary as we know it today began in 1952 when presidential primaries began to choose candidates rather than only delegates to the party conventions. Before 1952, most delegates selected were not pledged to any particular candidate.

Election Info: Live updates & all results | Midnight voting | NH's record

New Hampshire's primary became the first in the nation in 1920, though. Since then, multiple other states have attempted to take over the first spot until New Hampshire passed a state law allowing the secretary of state to decide the date of the primary and requiring it to be held at least seven days before any similar contest in another state.

This caused tension in the planning process for the 2024 primary, as the Democratic National Committee proposed a plan for South Carolina to have the first primary for the Democrats. The South Carolina Democratic Presidential Preference Primary is scheduled for Feb. 3.

Scanlan, like his predecessor Bill Gardner, is committed to keeping New Hampshire first and abiding by state law, which required the primary to be scheduled on or before Jan. 27.

Last week, current and former New Hampshire state officials met for a round table discussion about the New Hampshire Primary at the New Hampshire Institute of Politics at Saint Anselm College.

They emphasized the influence of New Hampshire on later states, high voter turnout, and difficulty predicting outcomes as key factors for why the Granite State should be first.

"Iowa picks corn, New Hampshire picks presidents," former Gov. John Sununu said when discussing the results of the caucuses.

History, importance of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary

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