New Hampshire primary (United States)
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| New Hampshire primary (United States) | |
|---|---|
| Name | New Hampshire primary |
| Country | United States |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Type | primary |
| First held | 1916 |
| Electorate | registered voters and undeclared voters |
| Frequency | quadrennial |
New Hampshire primary (United States) is a statewide presidential primary held in New Hampshire that plays a prominent role in the United States presidential nominating process. The primary is notable for its position early in the primary calendar and for producing momentum-shifting outcomes involving figures such as John McCain, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump. It interacts with institutions like the Democratic Party (United States), Republican Party (United States), the New Hampshire Secretary of State, and the Iowa Democratic Party.
History
The modern New Hampshire primary traces roots to the 1916 New Hampshire presidential primary and evolved through interactions with state laws and national party rules, shaping contests featuring Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and later candidates such as Robert F. Kennedy and Jimmy Carter. Throughout the 20th century, personalities including Barry Goldwater, George McGovern, Ronald Reagan, and Walter Mondale used New Hampshire to build national profiles, while organizational actors like the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee repeatedly negotiated early-state status. The primary’s status was reinforced by media institutions including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC News, and The Boston Globe, which amplified victories by candidates such as John Kerry and Michael Dukakis. Tensions over scheduling and delegate selection have led to disputes involving figures like Howard Dean and institutions like the National Governors Association.
Role in presidential nominating process
New Hampshire performs as an early test for candidates from parties including the Democratic Party (United States), Republican Party (United States), and occasionally third parties such as the Libertarian Party (United States), influencing debates among national actors like the United States Senate and the Federal Election Commission. The primary’s outcomes often affect fundraising networks linked to entities such as ActBlue and WinRed, and sway endorsements by organizations like the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations and the National Rifle Association of America. Candidates such as Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Mitt Romney, and Elizabeth Warren have used New Hampshire to refine messaging ahead of contests in states like South Carolina and Nevada, while campaign strategists from firms tied to Perkins Coie, GMMB, and AKPD plan retail events in towns including Manchester, New Hampshire and Concord, New Hampshire.
Balloting and voting procedures
Balloting in New Hampshire is administered by the New Hampshire Secretary of State under statutes that permit primary access for undeclared voters and registration practices influenced by groups like the League of Women Voters and the American Civil Liberties Union. The state uses paper ballots counted at local town meeting-style polling places and coordinated with county clerks such as those in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire and Merrimack County, New Hampshire. Delegate allocation procedures follow rules from the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, while campaign compliance involves filing with the Federal Election Commission and adherence to ballot-access litigation in courts including the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire. Campaign operations often coordinate volunteers recruited via platforms associated with MoveOn.org and digital vendors used by firms such as NGP VAN.
Calendar and scheduling controversies
The New Hampshire primary’s early scheduling has provoked disputes with state and national organizations including the Democratic National Committee and the Republican National Committee, and with neighboring early-state actors such as the Iowa Democratic Party and the government of South Carolina. Notable controversies involved attempts by the DNC Unity Reform Commission to rearrange the early calendar and responses from New Hampshire officials including successive New Hampshire Secretaries of State and governors like Maggie Hassan. Legal challenges have referenced state statutes and prompted negotiations with media partners such as CNN and ABC News. The debate over moving or preserving New Hampshire’s date involved actors like Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders, and advocacy groups including Priorities USA.
Impact and criticism
Supporters cite New Hampshire’s role in elevating grassroots retail politics exemplified by candidates like Howard Dean and Gary Hart, and credit the state with producing winnable nominees such as Bill Clinton and John McCain. Critics argue the primary gives disproportionate influence to a small, less demographically representative electorate compared to national samples from organizations such as Pew Research Center and Gallup, and raise concerns about media amplification by networks like Fox News and MSNBC. Debates involve issues of diversity and representation highlighted by scholars at institutions like Harvard University, Dartmouth College, and Colby College, and by commentators such as Nate Silver and Jon Meacham.
Notable results and influential campaigns
Key New Hampshire outcomes include the 1968 performance by Eugene McCarthy, the 1976 breakthrough of Jimmy Carter, the 1992 surge of Bill Clinton, the 2008 upset by Hillary Clinton and the eventual win by Barack Obama, and the 2016 victory of Bernie Sanders and the 2016 Republican outcome favoring Donald Trump. Historic primary moments involved organizational shifts by campaign teams led by figures like David Axelrod, James Carville, Karl Rove, and Kellyanne Conway. These results affected subsequent contests in states such as Iowa, South Carolina, Nevada, and California, and reshaped national debates in venues like the Liberty University and the Union Leader editorial pages.