New Hampshire voters are gearing up for their first primary vote on the Republican presidential nomination calendar, which is set to take place on Tuesday. This primary holds significance as it is one of the few open primaries across the country, where both Republicans and Democrats can cast their ballots in their own party's elections. However, what makes this primary unique is that undeclared voters have the option to participate in either party's primary. Additionally, for Democrats, this year is exceptional. Traditionally, New Hampshire is mandated by state law to hold the first primary in the nation. However, President Biden and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) aimed to give South Carolina the first position this year. Consequently, the DNC has decided not to award any delegates in New Hampshire, and President Biden will not feature on the ballot there. Instead, Democrats are promoting a write-in campaign for Biden.
On the Republican side, contestants are vying for 22 delegates based on the primary's results. Recent polls indicate a significant lead for former President Donald Trump, who is favored by 41% of likely Republican voters in New Hampshire. Nikki Haley follows with 49%, while Ron DeSantis trails behind with 4%. Notably, New Hampshire has a substantial number of undeclared voters, with nearly 399,000 registered as independents. It is anticipated that more independents may participate in the Republican primary due to the heightened level of competition in that race.
