ART'S LOCATION, N.H. - Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore today in the nation's first votes from two New Hampshire mountain hamlets. Hart's Location voters voted just after midnight, continuing a sporadic tradition that began in 1948. The Hart's Location vote was Bush 17, Gore 13, and 1 write-in for Jeffrey Peters. Fifty miles to the north, residents in Dixville Notch voted at the same time. The Dixville Notch vote was Bush 21, Gore 5 , Ralph Nader 1. By state law, polls must be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. But nothing prevents a town from opening the polls earlier, and any town may close the polls early if all potential voters have cast ballots.
Clinton-Lazio race puts heat on polls
NEW YORK - Today's Senate election will also be a showdown between the pollsters. In their final survey of likely voters, released yesterday, the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute shows Hillary Rodham Clinton pulling ahead of Rick Lazio, 51-39 while Zogby International has Lazio ahead, 50-49. The firms' differences, for Lazio's numbers anyway, lie well outside their 3 percent margins of error. So the actual outcome will amount to a verdict for the rival pollsters as much as for the candidates. The Quinnipiac poll shows Clinton leading Lazio 3-to-1 in New York City, trailing by 10 points in the suburbs, tied with him in the conservative upstate region and, just as remarkable, tied among men. Zogby has Clinton winning the city 2-to-1, with Lazio ahead in the suburbs by 19 points, upstate by 14, and among men by 11. A third poll, released last night by cable-news channel New York 1, shows Clinton leading Lazio, 47-40 - the same results it had a week ago. (Globe Staff)
Running mates let fingers do walking
It's Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman calling - honest. Lieberman and Cheney, the Democratic and Republican vice presidential nominees, both took time yesterday to place phone calls in crucial states to help get out the vote. But those on the other end of the line had a hard time believing it. Lieberman visited a Democratic headquarters in St. Paul, Minn., and took a turn on one of the phones. ''Hi, is Marie Connelly there,'' Lieberman asked in one of the calls. ''Hey Marie, believe it or not, this is Joe Lieberman. I am running for vice president.'' He said the 85-year-old woman's response was, ''Aw, come on.'' In Las Vegas, Cheney stopped by a local Republican headquarters to thank volunteers and make a few calls to voters. ''Hello, this is Dick Cheney - no, I really am, it really is me,'' Cheney said in one call. ''Need a ride to the polls or anything?'' (AP)
Powerful incentive offered at polls
ATLANTA - Going to the polls carries an extra reward today for voters in two Atlanta suburbs: a chance to win a $1,500 shotgun. The National Federation of Republican Assemblies, a conservative group opposed to limits on gun ownership, is sponsoring the raffle at two gun shops in Norcross and Smyrna. Voters can take the ''I Voted'' sticker they receive after casting a ballot to the gun shops and fill out a raffle ticket. A drawing will be held tomorrow and the winner will get a Benelli Super Black Eagle 12-gauge shotgun. Steve Frank, president of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, said the main purpose is to increase voter turnout. Handgun Control spokesman David Bernstein said of the giveaway: ''We think it's incredibly irresponsible. There are other ways to encourage voting.'' (AP)
