Well, it's almost primary season. Depending on your age, political views, geographic location and friends, you may be very involved in the various campaigns, or you may be staying as far away from the election as possible. I, for one, have never been very into politics. Yes, I cared who was running and about some of their views, but I never really looked past what you could find in commercials or on the "quick facts" page on their websites. For this presidential election, things started to change for me. It could be due to my finally being able to vote, being surrounded by many political science majors who love to express their views or simply spending the past month in New Hampshire, where there is at least one candidate visiting every day.
One of the few things my home state is known for is having the first in the nation primary. It is something we New Hampshirites are very proud of and will do just about anything to maintain. In fact, it is a New Hampshire state law that we must have the first primary in the nation. Just ask the people of the northern town of Dixville Notch. The town's 30 registered voters drop their ballots around midnight the day of the primary, and polls are closed once all voters have voted. These results are typically immediately counted and broadcast throughout the nation.
While I always thought the tradition of being the first in the nation was cool, I never really appreciated it for its full value. For about a week, we are the only people in the nation to have voted. Nearly all of the candidates are in New Hampshire awaiting the results, which cannot always be anticipated. Compared to its New England counterparts, New Hampshire is a swing state, with nearly 40 percentof voters registered as independents. The results of the New Hampshire primary often give the candidates a more accurate taste of what the voters are thinking and where they are leaning, especially regarding the independents, who are required to declare a party in the primary.
Additionally, the primary gives New Hampshire a great deal of media attention. Throughout the past few months, there have been candidates in the state nearly every day, either giving town halls, hosting rallies, speaking at colleges, or participating in debates. In just the past week, I have gotten 15 notifications from our local news station, WMUR, about the whereabouts of the candidates in the Granite State.
About two weeks ago, my brother went to the Red Arrow Diner during his study hall, only to have Donald Trump come in as he was leaving. Of course, Trump's simple lunch break showed up on the news that evening.
So while we New Hampshire voters have been bombarded by political ads and candidate visits, it has also been our 15 minutes of fame. It can be overwhelming, but it can also be awesome just running into candidates either at your favorite restaurant or alma mater. As we prepare to cast our ballots on Feb. 9, we will have the eyes of the nation on us, awaiting the results. To my fellow New Hampshirites, either in the Granite State or away at college, make sure you cast your vote. Whether you believe it or not, your vote does matter.
