Joe Biden gets his first 2020 election win after securing all five votes in Dixville Notch
Early voters have already cast 72.3 per cent of the total votes counted in the 2016 general election
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden has claimed his first victory in the 2020 election — albeit a very small one.
The small New Hampshire town of Dixville Notch opened its polls at midnight, when all five registered voters immediately cast their ballots for the Democrat.
One of those voters was a lifelong Republican, who became the first American to cast a ballot on election day 2020.
Voting just after the stroke of midnight on Tuesday 3 November, Les Otten continued a tradition dating back to the 1960 election of kicking off election day voting in Dixville Notch, where the tiny number of ballots was counted and announced shortly after the votes were cast.
Mr Otten, a businessman and town “selectman” or administrator, said he was a “lifelong Republican voting for Joe Biden for president”.
He told reporters that even as he doesn’t “agree with [Biden] on a lot of issues”, he believes “it’s time to find what unites us, not what divides us.”
Mr Otten added that it was time to start electing leaders “who are truthful and who will put the country’s welfare above all us and who will show respect for all people regardless of their gender, race, religion or political beliefs.”
Mr Otten previously contested for the governorship in Maine in 2010 but lost out in a GOP primary.
He noted that his vote to Mr Biden is “meant to send a message” to his fellow Republicans that their party “can find its way back”.
“It’s time to return to values our conservative party has held historically dear – limited govt, balanced budget, support for working families and respect for personal rights and historically being at the forefront of racial justice dating back to when we were the party of Lincoln,” said Mr Otten.
He stated that “paradoxically” a Joe Biden presidency will allow them to “refocus on core Republican values” and they can become “the conservative party that can lead America to prosperity and greatness again.”
Millions of people have already cast their votes using absentee ballots and in some states through early in-person voting, while tens of millions more were expected to vote today.
According to the nonpartisan United States Election Project, total early votes cast so far were 99.65 million in the small hours of Tuesday, which included early in-person votes and mail-in ballots. It said that “nationally, voters have cast 72.3 per cent of the total votes counted in the 2016 general election.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments