What makes New Hampshire's
Presidential Primary
so valuable to America?
There are several reasons why our tradition of being "first-in-the-nation" must be preserved. Every four years for nearly half a century, New Hampshire took the primary step toward electing a President. It continues to turn out more voters than any other state ever has for a presidential primary election. Heavy turn-out, however inclement the weather, is assured.
The practice of democracy demonstrates itself at its very best in our primary election, in full view of the entire world through cable television. People swarm to the polls in every ward, precinct, town and district, willingly waiting in line to exercise their right to vote.
That is the image New Hampshire has fought so hard to preserve. Through the decades, our Governor, U.S. Congressmen, Senators, and the state's most influential political leaders of both parties have shared the objective of preserving our primary status.
What do you think makes New Hampshire so special, so vital to the nation's democratic electoral process? Journalists, students, and government officials do come from all over the world to witness it.
The following are just a few of the answers.
Perhaps you will think of more:
The people.
The state's unique government structure.
New Hampshire's abundant mix of natural beauty.
The state's economic diversity.
Its size and facility to traverse.
The people.
Questions to Ponder
Why are people first and foremost in the above list of factors? Offer your own ideas based on what you already know. Discuss it with your parents, too.
Do you think New Hampshire citizens are more interested in government than people in other states? If so, why?
Do your parents read daily newspapers or watch television newscasts?
Do you know the names of our two United States senators and our two congressmen? Do you remember why we have two U.S. senators and only two congressmen? What is a congressional district?
Government New Hampshire Style ...
New Hampshire boasts a 400-member state legislature, third largest in the English-speaking world. The other two are the British Parliament and the United States Congress.
Our state representatives are elected every two years. This gives many people an opportunity to learn about the State House and to serve as legislators. These people are paid only $100 per year plus money spent per mile for traveling back and forth from their homes to Concord. You can easily see that the legislators serve our state because they care about the people, and not for the few dollars they make.
Of course, we also have 24 state senators who work very hard for the same compensation. Ours is truly a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, which is what Abraham Lincoln mandated for America.
New Hampshire is always in an election mode. We have more elections than any other state in the country. Every two years we hold elections for Governor, Executive Council, for legislators and many more offices at the local and county levels. New Hampshire voters go to the polls more often than voters in any other state. Politics is a way of life in New Hampshire.
From Majestic Mountains to the Sparkling Blue Sea ...
Our demographics are uniquely diverse, leading to a broad variety of industrious, well-informed, and involved citizenry. This is one of the main reasons why the New Hampshire presidential primary is so popular with candidates, historians, and the media.
New Hampshire's abundant beauty and diversity attract people from all over the world. Artists, writers, and composers come to the world-renown MacDowell Colony in Peterborough. They find niches in country settings where they can create quietly, privately and often decide to stay.
Blue-chip company CEOs come here to retire in seclusion.
New-world technology companies begin here and locate here, to large patches of green land and trees, a perfect setting for state-of-the art facilities in a surrounding that invites research and invention, peacefulness and recreation.
The Great North Woods is replete with beautiful mountains and sparkling lakes, yet only a short distance away is the Atlantic Ocean. Vermont is our neighbor to the west, and with Maine just east of us, this trio of states offers spectacular country and some very independent but thoughtful people, all within driving distance.
Tourism is a vital industry that invites a continual rotation of vacationers, from generation to generation. It's a great place for sports - skiing, boating, fishing, biking, hiking in the White Mountains, along the Appalachian Trail.
The four seasons offer a variety of activities, and spectacular sights for leaf-peepers and mountain lovers. Don't we have just about everything you could want?
All six New England states could fit within the state of Texas, but candidates encounter much more diversity in the Northeast than they might find in a larger state. The backdrops for photo ops are gorgeous and plentiful.
Economically, the state has fared very well. The New Hampshire Department of Economic Development has made it attractive for big companies to do business here. The cities and towns also have programs to attract sound enterprises, especially start-up companies who find that our workforce is extra strong and industrious.
There are many brilliant people in New Hampshire who started their own corporations and grew into the "Fortune 500." It's a great state in which to do business.
TRANSPORTATION
A trip to New Hampshire is made quick and easy by the fact that we have two major airports located within a fifty-mile radius. Candidates can come in and out, drive or fly to different parts of the state in less than two hours. Three of our major cities are less than an hour apart and there are many big towns in between.
The Manchester airport has become much larger in recent years.
People often prefer it to Logan Airport in Boston, probably because of
distance and traffic problems.
New airlines have come to the Manchester airport, and some keep adding flights to different parts of the country.
Our highways are always being improved to increase ease of travel.
A person can drive from Nashua in southern New Hampshire to Montreal, Canada, in about six hours.
All these changes have improved access to the state and offer convenience to all types of visitors.
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