U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) campaigns at Stevens High School in Claremont, New Hampshire Jan. 7, 2008. [Photo: Xinhua/Reuters]

Voting in a far northern small town Tuesday kicked off the New Hampshire 2008 presidential primary, the first of its kind in the nation.

Just after midnight, 17 registered voters from Dixville Notch, a small town of 74 residents near Canadian border, cast the first ballots for the presidential candidates in the polling station.

Less than 10 minutes after the voting finished, Barack Obama was announced to win seven of the total 10 votes for the Democratic camp, followed by John Edwards with two and Bill Richards with one. Hillary Rodham Clinton drew no vote.

Of the Republican side's seven votes, John McCain led Mitt Romney four to two, and Rudy Giuliani took the one left.

Dixville Notch was the first to begin direct votings in New Hampshire's primary. The town was granted by the state's law to open its polls after midnight as the number of its residents is below 100.