| Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 365,660 | 45.36% | 424,937 | 52.71% | 15,608 | 1.94% |
| 2016 | 345,790 | 46.46% | 348,526 | 46.83% | 49,980 | 6.72% |
| 2012 | 329,918 | 46.40% | 369,561 | 51.98% | 11,493 | 1.62% |
| 2008 | 316,534 | 44.52% | 384,826 | 54.13% | 9,610 | 1.35% |
| 2004 | 331,237 | 48.87% | 340,511 | 50.24% | 5,990 | 0.88% |
| 2000 | 273,559 | 48.07% | 266,348 | 46.80% | 29,174 | 5.13% |
| 1996 | 196,532 | 39.37% | 246,214 | 49.32% | 56,429 | 11.30% |
| 1992 | 202,484 | 37.64% | 209,040 | 38.86% | 126,421 | 23.50% |
| 1988 | 281,537 | 62.49% | 163,696 | 36.33% | 5,292 | 1.17% |
| 1984 | 267,051 | 68.66% | 120,395 | 30.95% | 1,508 | 0.39% |
| 1980 | 221,705 | 57.74% | 108,864 | 28.35% | 53,430 | 13.91% |
| 1976 | 185,935 | 54.75% | 147,635 | 43.47% | 6,048 | 1.78% |
| 1972 | 213,724 | 63.98% | 116,435 | 34.85% | 3,900 | 1.17% |
| 1968 | 154,903 | 52.10% | 130,589 | 43.93% | 11,807 | 3.97% |
| 1964 | 104,029 | 36.11% | 184,064 | 63.89% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 157,989 | 53.42% | 137,772 | 46.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1956 | 176,519 | 66.11% | 90,364 | 33.84% | 111 | 0.04% |
| 1952 | 166,287 | 60.92% | 106,663 | 39.08% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 121,299 | 52.41% | 107,995 | 46.66% | 2,146 | 0.93% |
| 1944 | 109,916 | 47.87% | 119,663 | 52.11% | 48 | 0.02% |
| 1940 | 110,127 | 46.78% | 125,292 | 53.22% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1936 | 104,642 | 47.98% | 108,460 | 49.73% | 5,012 | 2.30% |
| 1932 | 103,629 | 50.42% | 100,680 | 48.99% | 1,211 | 0.59% |
| 1928 | 115,404 | 58.65% | 80,715 | 41.02% | 638 | 0.32% |
| 1924 | 98,575 | 59.83% | 57,201 | 34.72% | 8,993 | 5.46% |
| 1920 | 95,196 | 59.84% | 62,662 | 39.39% | 1,234 | 0.78% |
| 1916 | 43,725 | 49.06% | 43,781 | 49.12% | 1,621 | 1.82% |
| 1912 | 32,927 | 37.43% | 34,724 | 39.48% | 20,310 | 23.09% |
| 1908 | 53,149 | 59.32% | 33,655 | 37.56% | 2,796 | 3.12% |
| 1904 | 54,163 | 60.07% | 34,074 | 37.79% | 1,924 | 2.13% |
| 1900 | 54,799 | 59.33% | 35,489 | 38.42% | 2,076 | 2.25% |
| 1896 | 57,444 | 68.66% | 21,650 | 25.88% | 4,576 | 5.47% |
| 1892 | 45,658 | 51.11% | 42,081 | 47.11% | 1,590 | 1.78% |
| 1888 | 45,728 | 50.34% | 43,456 | 47.84% | 1,651 | 1.82% |
| 1884 | 43,254 | 51.14% | 39,198 | 46.34% | 2,134 | 2.52% |
| 1880 | 44,856 | 51.94% | 40,797 | 47.24% | 708 | 0.82% |
| 1876 | 41,540 | 51.83% | 38,510 | 48.05% | 91 | 0.11% |
| 1872 | 37,168 | 53.94% | 31,425 | 45.61% | 313 | 0.45% |
| 1868 | 37,718 | 55.22% | 30,575 | 44.76% | 11 | 0.02% |
| 1864 | 36,596 | 52.56% | 33,034 | 47.44% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 37,519 | 56.90% | 25,887 | 39.26% | 2,537 | 3.85% |
| 1856 | 37,473 | 53.71% | 31,891 | 45.71% | 410 | 0.59% |
| 1852 | 15,486 | 30.64% | 28,503 | 56.40% | 6,546 | 12.95% |
| 1848 | 14,781 | 29.50% | 27,763 | 55.41% | 7,560 | 15.09% |
| 1844 | 17,866 | 36.32% | 27,160 | 55.22% | 4,161 | 8.46% |
| 1840 | 26,310 | 43.88% | 32,774 | 54.66% | 872 | 1.45% |
| 1836 | 6,228 | 24.99% | 18,697 | 75.01% | 0 | 0.00% |
New Hampshire is often noted for its moderate politics (especially in relation to strongly Democratic neighboring states) and its status as a prominent swing state. Voters predominantly selected Republicans for national office during the 19th and 20th centuries until 1992. Since then, the state has been considered a swing state. Since 2006, control of the state legislature and New Hampshire's congressional seats have switched back and forth between Republicans and Democrats. Although the state has voted for the Democratic candidate in the last six presidential elections since 2004, it has done so by relatively small, however consistent margins.
Due to its large state legislature, the annual town meetings in most communities, and the prominence of its presidential primary every four years, New Hampshire has been noted for its high level of political participation and retail politics.[clarification needed] Some have called politics the "state sport."[2]