DIXVILLE NOTCH — Barack Obama came up a big winner in the presidential race in Dixville Notch and Hart’s Location, where tradition of having the first Election Day ballots tallied lives on.

Democrat Obama defeated Republican John McCain by a count of 15 to 6 in Dixville Notch, where a loud whoop accompanied the announcement. The town of Hart’s Location reported 17 votes for Obama, 10 for McCain and two for write-in Ron Paul. Independent Ralph Nader was on both towns’ ballots but got no votes.

Dixville Notch’s first voter, following tradition, was picked ahead of the midnight voting and the rest of the town’s 21 registered voters followed suit in Tuesday’s first minutes.

Town Clerk Rick Erwin says the northern New Hampshire town is proud of its tradition, but says “the most important thing is that we exemplify a 100 percent vote.”

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