By Britt Nelson

New Hampshire voters will again have the world on their shoulders for the Feb. 9 primary election. Every four years — since 1916 — New Hampshire holds the first primary election in the United States of America. Unlike issues of the past, this year voting will determine the fate of America’s identity. The importance of voting has never been more important than now.

For most of the American citizens living full time in Costa Rica, they can only sit back and watch on TV and internet news the craziness going on with the American political scene of today. Who ever thought former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would have so much negative political baggage to overcome? Who ever thought billionaire Donald J. Trump would find success and defy gravity? Who ever thought Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a 74-year-old Jewish Democrat socialist, would float to the top?

Campaign 2016, if known for nothing else, has been and will be the year of political surprises with many more to come such as — the possibly exists that depending on the wheels of justice and fate, Vice President Joe Biden could end up with the Democratic Party’s nomination facing Trump due to the ongoing FBI investigation into Clinton’s communication practices involving her private email while she was Secretary of State. Just a FBI recommendation to the U.S. Department of Justice for an indictment would be the end for Clinton.

The national impact of the outcome of the New Hampshire cannot be over stated. A win here brings national recognition, massive media coverage down the road and money. A win here gives momentum for the next primary in South Carolina, then Nevada and across the nation. A loss in New Hampshire isn’t necessarily fatal. Former Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton in 1992 lost both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, but went on to win the Democratic nomination and the presidency.

New Hampshire voters will have a big part in selecting the next leaders of the free world, but they are also concerned with issues at home such as their youth dying in great numbers from heroin addiction and gun control. National candidates, across the board, are failing to address these two major problems in a meaningful way. They gracefully dance around these national health issues.

Recent polls taken in New Hampshire identify heroin deaths as a leading issue for voters along with immigration of minorities into New Hampshire.

According to New Hampshire Public Radio, in 2015 more than 400 people died of a drug overdose in this small, beautiful state. So far in 2016, 22 people have died of opiate overdose.

Speaking of opinion polls, the Huffington Post is currently tracking 74 polls from 27 pollsters working in New Hampshire. Sanders is leading Clinton 55.6 percent to 37.2 percent. Trump is leading Cruz by 34 percent to 13 percent. Polls are nothing more than daily snapshots in time of public opinion. They are frequently wrong. Case in point, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz beat Trump in last week’s Iowa caucus. Polls had showed Trump was ahead by about 4 or 5 points.

Poll numbers will change as national candidates drop out of the race and give their support to other candidates. The most recent casualties are former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckebee (R), Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul (R), former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum (R), and former Maryland Gov. Mike O’Malley (D) have thrown in the towel just this week. Candidates are dropping like flies and more will drop out after the Feb. 9 primary. It’s certain that all sorts of partisan deal making is going on now behind the scenes of this election season.

There is an argument to be made for outlawing polling prior to elections. Polls can cause a lower voter turnout. It’s easy for a voter to stay home if their candidate or party is way ahead in the polls. It should be up to the voters to decide who wins, not polls or news agencies. Voters should use every available source of information about the candidates, read newspaper stories, go to political rallies and see the candidates up close, listen to the debates and watch the political TV advertisements — especially the inevitable negative ads — as the weeks roll by to make their decisions for local, state and national offices.

The national identity of the United States of American is at stake this year. As the numbers of minorities grow in the USA so does the number of minorities voting. For many minorities — the Founding Fathers of America who wrote the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights — are unknowns. As the number of minorities grow so does the threat to the U.S. Constitution and the American way of life. The USA’s policy of open boarders needs to be addressed. The next president of the United States will have to deal with this issue in a big way. Look what’s happening in the Mid-East with refugees flooding European counties from Syria and Iraq due to continuing violence and hate.

Hello New Hampshire. Help show us the way. Shine your light Granite State on the best and brightest.

Note: Expats in Costa Rica will get their turn to vote in the stateside Nov. 8 general election using absentee ballots and on-line voting. For further information about American citizens voting from Costa Rica go to www.FVAP.gov.