The UK has seen a dramatic election result this year, but is only one of more than 100 countries across the world that are holding elections in 2024. In Europe we have seen elections in France, Italy, Romania and Portugal among others, as well as elections to the European Parliament. Of particular interest is the outcome from the USA elections on 5th November which will not only determine who becomes president but also the make-up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The impact of the US elections on global politics and global issues such as climate change over the next few years will be significant but so far the outcome is not clear. Not surprisingly, there is huge variation in the style and electoral processes among countries claiming to be democratic in their choice of government. Even within the USA there are big differences in how each state manages its electoral system, some are quite complex compared to the UK and present voters with a significant task in identifying who and what to vote for when faced with the ballot paper.
The trees are a patchwork of colours, browns of the Beech and Alder, greens of Oak and Hickory, enlivened by flaming orange and reds of the Maples and bright yellow Birches. Foliage season is in full swing in the north-eastern states and this year is reckoned to be better than the previous few years. In New Hampshire and Vermont, it has brought the crowds flocking up to the lakes and mountain regions to see the colours, especially over Columbus Day weekend in mid-October, the last public holiday before winter sets in.
For some visitors this is their final opportunity to get out on the water before the storms arrive and the lakes start to freeze over. Those with shoreline property are dismantling their docks, closing shutters and winterising summer camps. The marina moorings are almost empty as boats are taken out for winter storage. Local residents are busy preparing for winter, making sure doors and windows are well sealed, fixing any loose clapboarding, doing some last-minute painting or roof sealing, ensuring they have sufficient fuel, cut, seasoned, split and stacked near the house, ready for use. Autumn is a busy season for those that live here in northern New England. The stunning autumn colours do not last long, before November is out the ground will be frozen hard and snow will come. There is already a chill in the air and a dusting of white on the higher peaks.
Autumn leaves are not the only material covering the ground. Vying for the attention of both visitors and residents this year, are those running for elected office. Brightly coloured campaign placards, mostly in blue and red, have appeared along roads and in people’s front gardens indicating support for one or another political party or candidate. New Hampshire, with an aging population that is traditionally Republican in outlook, has been altered by in-migration of a younger and more highly educated generation and has now become a swing state (although due to its small size it tends to have minimal impact on the outcome of national elections). Trump/Vance and Harris/Walz signs alternate along the roads and at intersections they multiply exponentially to capture the attention of motorists trapped by the traffic lights. The signs have simple slogans and there are also a lot of negative statements about other politicians. However, the two presidential candidates do not dominate the political or geographic landscape here. The blizzard of placards are largely for local, district, county and state representatives whose names will also appear on the ballot paper on 5th November.
At this election residents must also vote for state representatives to the US Senate and House of Representatives and for the State governor. Then there are district representatives to the state legislature. New Hampshire has by far the largest state legislature in the country in terms of the number of elected representatives (400 legislators, each one of which represents about 3,300 people) and in most districts, residents vote for more than one representative. In Hillsborough District 13, for example, they can vote for up to six candidates. Below that there are a multitude of District and County jobs (such as County Sheriff, Treasurer, County Attorney, Register of Deeds) that must be filled through voting.
A wide array of candidates and elected jobs means there may be as many as thirty or more names on a ballot paper. The Presidential candidates appear at the top of the paper, followed by State Governor and State representatives to Congress, then the State legislature and more local County and District electoral candidates. In addition, voters are often asked to vote on specific propositions (for example, whether they support an increase in the District school budget; or a change in state regulation). This year there is only one state-wide proposition, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to ‘Increase the mandatory judicial retirement age from 70 to 75’. Voting looks to be a far more complicated process than in the UK.
The big local concerns of New Hampshire residents right now relate to social security (the US equivalent of the state pension), particularly for the older population, budgets and taxes, and how much should be spent on different services from education to road mending. In-migration from states to the south is pushing up house prices and creating social problems such as road congestion, and homelessness from lack of affordable housing. This is exacerbated in some areas by tourism and pressure for second homes. Historically, most people have voted for low taxation, which limits what the state can do.
For the majority of people, Washington can appear very far away and the impact of Federal government action far less important than what happens in your own backyard at local and state level. There is a huge level of uncertainty over the outcome of the Presidential election and what impact it might have on the country, but for many, the more immediate priorities are finding enough money to pay the rent, food prices, and the rising cost of fuel to stay warm. The electoral outcome may be unknown but there is one certainty in northern New England life – everyone knows that the coming winter will be long, hard, and cold.
