New Hampshire has held the first-in-the-nation primary for over 100 years. But this year, the Democratic National Committee decided to move South Carolina first on its nominating calendar, and incumbent President Joe Biden is not on the ballot in the Granite State.
So, for this month's Big Question, we've been asking you: “Does the 2024 New Hampshire presidential primary feel different than previous years?"
Here’s what some of you said.
Veda Crewe - Swanzey, NH: I take voting as a very important piece of my responsibility, and I really don't miss an election. However, this particular election, at least the primary, has me completely thrown off because the message that I am getting is that as a Democrat, my vote doesn't count. That, I find really unacceptable. It makes me really consider not showing up.
Carolyn Doran - NH : Yes, the primary seems completely different. I am an independent and I vote not according to party, but according to who I think is best. And this will probably be the first time I've ever done something like this. I'm going to get the Republican ballot and vote for probably Nikki Haley, just so I can vote against Donald Trump.
Katie Payne - Durham, NH: It feels radically different from the past. I can't remember how long, but this time of year, I'd be knocking on doors and trudging down driveways that haven't been plowed and leaving literature or ‘get out the vote’ things. And now I'm like, cleaning my basement. There's almost nothing to do. I mean, I realize that the Democratic Party is saying 'Get out the vote and write in Joe Biden.' But the excitement, the urgency is just not there, at least on the Democratic side.
Liz Tentarelli - Newbury, NH: I've lived [in Newbury] for 25 years. So I've gone to a lot of candidate events in previous cycles, and I've talked to a lot of other people who would say things like, 'Did you see so and so in New London?' or 'Did you go to the event in Manchester?' And there was a lot of excitement around it, and then people would start talking about it. And I'm simply not hearing that this year. I think one reason is that the primary candidates in each party, the top people in the polls, are simply ignoring New Hampshire. Frankly, it's boring. I've always enjoyed when the circus comes to town every four years, and we have all the hoopla around the primary and we get to meet those candidates up close and personal. And this year, it just doesn't feel like that anymore. It feels like a very sad, little town fair instead.
Shawn - Henniker, NH: The 2024 presidential primary does feel different to me. First of all, I forgot to change my voter registration back to independent from Democrat. So now I'm locked into my ballot choices. I'm disappointed that Biden didn't decide to come to New Hampshire and be on the ballot. The flurry of things that were in the news last month about the DNC saying that our votes in New Hampshire weren't counting and stuff, that kind of got me a little worried that my vote isn't going to count.
Ruth Smith - Canterbury, NH: This year it does feel different because we do have an incumbent running. And one of the big differences that is happening this year is that the current president is not on the ballot. It also provides an opportunity that's a little exciting because there is a write-in campaign. And by writing in Joe Biden on the Democrat ticket, it adds a little excitement because for me, it's an opportunity to send a message to the DNC that says New Hampshire does still matter and our votes do count and we do care.
Thank you to everyone who wrote in. Stay tuned to NHPR for next month’s Big Question.
Music credit: Pacific Time by Blue Dot Sessions
