New Hampshire is uniquely suited for the special role it plays in the presidential selection process. For over eighty years we have held the first primary in the nation and have done so with great success. No other state possesses all the ingredients embodied in New Hampshire that come together to provide a valuable service to the whole political process and to the country in its selection of presidential candidates.
This is the only state which has such a user-friendly process for filing to become a presidential candidate. The filing fee to get your name on the ballot is a thousand dollars, and if you can prove that you're indigent, even that fee can be waived! Certainly one need not have a large war chest of funds to run in New Hampshire and indeed, several very wealthy individuals who have spent vast amounts of money have not succeeded in winning their party's nomination on that alone.
The size of the state makes it easier to be accessible to people in the entire geographic area and to visit many communities and attend multiple events in the same day with ease. The smaller population also makes it more manageable for candidates to actually get to meet and address in a variety of venues a larger percentage of the voters.
Media attention is plentiful as they focus on candidates and even previously unknown candidate appearances can make the headlines, thus giving name recognition to people unheard of in other parts of the country.
Being able to speak directly to so many voters, candidates learn how to listen and how to convince and energize voters. This form of "retail politics" strengthens candidates and sharpens their message. In short, being grilled at town halls and in private homes and gatherings makes them better prepared. They also can learn what people are really thinking and what is important to them. New Hampshire's process makes better and stronger candidates and serves the process by weeding out and culling weaker candidates. New Hampshire is the best proving ground for those with a good message but lower name recognition and fewer dollars to spend.
The most important and key ingredient that makes New Hampshire ideally suited for its role in holding the first in the nation primary is the people. Because of years of experience with the primary process New Hampshire has an aware, astute, and highly engaged population of voters who not only participate in the vetting process and challenge the candidates at every opportunity, but they turn out to vote in primaries in significantly higher numbers than other states.
The New Hampshire Political Library has compiled a selection of columns, news articles, and formal testimony to assist those following and participating in the national discussion about New Hampshire's role in the presidential selection process. Click on the Political Library button on the right to read more.
Victory NH is also very involved in defending our primary and has additional information of interest. You can click on the state button on the right to access their website for information about what is being done to protect and preserve our unique status in this process.
New Hampshire continues to be under attack by other states who would like to usurp our place in this process and the role of the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman is primarily to help defend our first place status and to present a compelling case to the Republican National Committee that the traits we possess are what help to keep alive the American dream that anyone who is a natural born citizen can run for president and have a chance of success.
-- Phyllis Woods
"The New Hampshire Presidential Primary protects, strengthens, and extends the democratic principles upon which this nation is founded."
--"Presidential Primary Proving Ground" the NH Political Library
