Dixville Notch, the tiny New Hampshire township known for casting some of the nation’s first ballots, swung toward Republicans in 2026, according to early reported counts. If Dixville Notch is an indicator, a red wave is coming in New Hampshire. The caveat is that it is only seven votes.
In the U.S. Senate race, Republican John E. Sununu got 5 votes, Democrat Chris Pappas got 2 and Constitution Party candidate Edmond Laplante got 0, in Decision Desk HQ’s first New Hampshire count of the night, which political accounts on X identified as Dixville Notch’s. That is a 3-vote Republican edge out of 7 votes cast. In the governor’s race, Republican Gov. Kelly Ayotte got 6 votes and Democrat Cinde Warmington got 1 in Decision Desk HQ’s first governor count.
DDHQ Race Update (est. 0% in): New Hampshire US Senate — John Sununu (R): 5 (71.4%), Chris Pappas (D): 2 (28.6%)
@DecisionDeskHQ on X, 4:09 p.m. ET, Nov. 3, 2026
Dixville Notch results: 2022, 2024 and 2026
The Senate comparison is the clearest one. In Dixville’s 2022 vote, Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan won all 5 ballots, and Republican Don Bolduc got none, according to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s official town results. This year’s Senate count went 5 to 2 for the Republican. That is an 8-vote swing toward Republicans, from D+5 to R+3.
There was no Senate race in New Hampshire in 2024. At the top of the ticket that year, Dixville’s six registered voters split 3 to 3 between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, according to WMUR, CNN and The New York Times. All six voted.
The governor’s race has moved the same way, a little at a time. Republican Chris Sununu carried Dixville 4 to 1 in 2022. Ayotte carried it 5 to 1 in 2024 and 6 to 1 this year.
| Race | 2022 | 2024 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Senate | Hassan (D) 5, Bolduc (R) 0 D+5 | No race | Sununu (R) 5, Pappas (D) 2 R+3 |
| President | No race | Harris (D) 3, Trump (R) 3 Tie | No race |
| Governor | Sununu (R) 4, Sherman (D) 1 R+3 | Ayotte (R) 5, Craig (D) 1 R+4 | Ayotte (R) 6, Warmington (D) 1 R+5 |
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What Dixville can and can’t tell us
Dixville Notch is a handful of voters in one corner of Coos County. Seven ballots don’t make a statewide forecast, and a single vote changing hands moves the margin there by two. The results are early and unofficial.
Still, the direction is hard to miss. A township that gave a Democratic senator every vote four years ago gave the Republican five of seven this year. If Dixville is an indicator, it points to a red wave. Statewide results start coming in after New Hampshire’s polls close tonight.
