Border security, health care and housing top-of-mind for Franklin, Tilton and Belmont voters on Tuesday

Granite Staters took part in the first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday, with Lakes Region voters turning out in force for the consequential election. Issues on their minds included border security, health care and housing.

All eyes are on the Republican primary after former President Donald Trump’s win in Iowa and Nikki Haley’s appearance in third place with more than a 30-point spread. Trump has performed well with Evangelical Christians, but in a more moderate conservative population in New Hampshire, he seems to have less dominance. In exit interviews with voters in Franklin, Tilton and Belmont, Trump and Haley had lots of support. Overwhelmingly the biggest issue for Republican voters was securing the country's southern border. Lori Martel, voting for Trump in Franklin's Ward 1, said the border is one of her biggest concerns and voted for just the second time ever, with her first vote cast for Trump in 2016. She pointed to the housing crisis in New Hampshire as her reason for seeking security at the border.

“There's a housing shortage to begin with,” she said. “They come in and they take jobs away and they take housing away. There's no place to house them.”

Maria Rojas, voting in Franklin Ward 3, also voted for Trump in hopes he will secure the border. Rojas was born in the U.S. and her family is of Mexican and Spanish descent. She is perfectly fine with immigration as long as it is done legally.

"There is a process in place for people to enter the country legally,” Rojas explained. “There is no reason for these people to act as criminals and jump everyone else. Any illegal things shouldn’t be done.”

Other Republican voters listed the economy as a big issue, naming inflation for groceries and gas as a concern. Few people listed abortion as one of their top issues.

Some voters who cast their ballots for Nikki Haley said they were also voting against Trump. John Pratt, 77, and his wife Jane, 76, of Belmont, are high school sweethearts who have been together for 54 years. Undeclared voters, they both marked ballots for Haley out of spite for Trump, but considered writing in Joe Biden's name. Biden did not file as a candidate in the New Hampshire primary. They said they want anyone but Trump.

“I just believe he’s a bad person,” John said. “He has no scruples, doesn't care about anybody but himself ... he's made these promises [and] didn't do anything. ... We can live with Biden and we can live with Nikki Haley. I don't think I could go through another four years of Trump.”

Several voters who normally vote Democrat voted instead for Haley. Franklin’s Dianna Bleary of Ward 2 voted for her, with the issues of health care and Social Security in mind. Bleary was in an accident almost a year ago and suffered a pilon fracture in her ankle and is now unable to work. Social Security Disability is supporting her as she heals. She believes Haley is the most reasonable candidate between both Democrats and Republicans.

“I did choose Nikki Haley today because in my realm, she may be the lesser of two evils,” Bleary said. “I am truly a Democrat, but I don't know at this point in time if Dean Phillips or [Marianne] Williamson would be able to make it past the Trump people.”

Despite Biden's decision not to file for the New Hampshire primary, there is an organized write-in campaign for him. Biden's name does not appear on the ballot because of New Hampshire's refusal to delay the primary until after South Carolina's contest, which would have negated New Hampshire state law. Liberal voters supported Biden as he is the candidate who aligns with them politically, while also being an option to vote against Trump.

Bleary didn’t choose Biden as she believes he is too old, and a fresh perspective is needed in the presidency. She was also not happy he attempted to remove New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary.

Margarite Vastine of Franklin’s Ward 3 voted for Phillips over Biden. As someone who grew up in The Netherlands, she likes Phillips' socially left-leaning policies as well as his more progressive views on health care and education. But she also picked him to send Biden a message as a resident of the Granite State.

“We are first in the nation, and Biden didn't agree with it. Therefore, it is kind of a protest vote,” Vastine said. “If Biden does win the vote, I'll definitely vote for him for president. But I think Dean Phillips has done a great job putting his feet down in this state and talking about the issues.”

Most voters, regardless of affiliation, emphasized the importance of voting during this time. Jennifer Smith of Tilton brought her kids to the polls to show them how voting is done. She believes voting is incredibly important.

“It's our duty and our right as American citizens,” she said.