Kamala Harris, Donald Trump tie in first Election Day vote at Dixville Notch

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (FILE PHOTO)

United States Vice President Kamala Harris and former US President Donald Trump have tied in the tiny, unincorporated New Hampshire township of Dixville Notch, located along the US-Canada border.

It seems fitting that in the ongoing neck-and-neck battle between the two presidential hopefuls, the first votes cast on Election Day were evenly split, with three for Trump and three for Harris.

Interestingly, Dixville Notch has a tradition that dates back to 1960, for being the first in the nation to complete in-person voting. As a result, despite Dixville Notch’s results not being able to predict the winner – or even the state’s pick, journalists flock in large numbers, often outnumbering the voters.

After a rousing accordion version of the national anthem, the town's six voters began casting their ballots at the stroke of midnight and the vote count was complete 15 minutes later. Of the six voters, four were Republicans and two were undeclared, CNN reported.

The CNN report quoted Les Otten, one of the Dixville Notch voters as saying that the early release of US presidential poll results is “a civics lesson for the country”. He also said, “If we can help people get out and understand that voting is an important part of their right as an American citizen, that’s perhaps the key to what we’re doing.”

Notably, voters of Dixville Notch have backed the Democratic nominee in the last two elections. Even 75-year-old Otten, who claimed to have been “a Republican ever since I was seven years old”, also said that he would vote for Harris in this election.

(With AP inputs)