THE first official sign that Barack Obama is heading for the White House came in the early hours of this morning, when Dixville Notch in New Hampshire backed the Democrat candidate.

Graham Dines

THE first official sign that Barack Obama is heading for the White House came in the early hours of this morning, when Dixville Notch in New Hampshire backed the Democrat candidate.

In a tradition stretching back decades, the voters of this New Hampshire hamlet vote just after midnight and their votes are counted and announced immediately.

Obama defeated Republican John McCain by 15 votes to 6. Independent Ralph Nader was also on the ballot, but no-one voted for him. Turnout was 100%

The first voter, following a tradition established in 1948, was picked ahead of the midnight voting and the rest of the town's registered voters followed suit in the first minutes of polling day.

Dixville Notch usually backs the Republican candidate but today has seemingly joined the growing support for Obama.