Election 2008 - The Dixville Notch Chart

by Robert Wilkinson

Most people don't know it, but this 2008 US Presidential election actually begins at midnight November 4, 2008, with the opening of the voting booths at a little place called Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. Ordinarily, you wouldn't think a little hamlet in New England would have the ability to determine the outcome of a presidential race, but it does have one of the largest astrological influences imaginable.

The reason Dixville Notch is so important is that it determines the chart for election day. Since it is the first place to open its polls in the US, it sets the time and place for the beginning of the actual event, or contest, that will determine the next President of the US, or so we'd like to believe. According to J. Lee Lehman's analysis of possible approaches to determining US elections, the Dixville Notch chart was correct 2/3 of the time, a far greater percentage than any other methods except for examining the prior lunation, which offers a 70% accuracy, and the Sunrise chart for election day, which offers a 68% accuracy rate.

Up to Election 2004, in prior lunation analysis that we find that a Full Moon preceding the election gives a 50-50 chance rather than a New Moon, which overwhelmingly favors the Defender. Historically, the more accurate prior lunation charts give a 62% home field advantage to the Defender. In this case there is no incumbent running, but we may be able to infer that the Republicans are the defenders, since that party has been in power.

I've already made my call in this article. It is important to remember here that "real world" influences have the most effect on organic processes, and while a chart can show those influences, it cannot overcome human free will or natural limitations. For example, you may plant potatoes on the best day to plant in December, but probably won't have a very good crop since potatoes don't grow in December in northern latitudes. Or you can take out an expensive loan on the best day possible, and still fail to make it work if you don't have a job.

Thus astrology indicates the patterns at work in a given moment, but there are always other factors involved. This is true of economics, home building, law, medicine, and every other field of human endeavor. It may be a great day for an operation, but not if your doctor is not paying attention. Your chart may show it's a great time for building a home, but a hurricane in Florida may drive up the cost of windows, thus putting a curveball into the mix.

That's one reason why the subheader to this blog is "Using... to move and groove through the intersections of fate and free will..." Free will and human endeavor or mischief can have a huge effect on any contest, such as the current malfunctioning e-vote machines in more than a few states, as well as Republican party voter disenfranchisement tactics.

That said, let's look at the Dixville Notch chart from an astrological angle. This article will use the fundamentals in astrological analysis, so much of what I write may not be easily understood by readers who are not versed in horary techniques. Still, even novices of the craft should find much that is worthy of consideration.

The chart is essentially a contest analysis, with the challenger shown by the 28 Leo Ascendant and the defender by the 28 Aquarius descendant. (Here it's interesting to note that this is only one degree off the 2004 election, which had 27 Leo-Aquarius on the horizon). According to traditional astrology, this puts the Sun as ruler of the challenger, and Saturn as ruler of the defender, with Uranus as co-ruler.

As brief look shows the ruler of the defender is in the Ascendant, usually guaranteeing victory for the challenger. The opposition between Saturn and Uranus in the 7th would seem to indicate the internal divisions in the McCain camp, since both planets rule the defender and are at extraordinary odds with each other. And of course, Uranus retrograde at 19 Pisces in the 7th shows the defender is subtle, tricky, and in the house it rules, which is a very strong position.

The ruler of the Ascendant challenger (Barack Obama) is the Sun in Scorpio in the 3rd house. We always have the Leo-Aquarius horizon with Sun between 9-16 Scorpio due to US Constitutional mandate. This cannot be considered the overriding determining factor since both sides have produced victories under these conditions. A "real world" factor in analyzing the chart is that the small Dixville Notch voting population is overwhelmingly Republican in its vote bias, and except for 1968, has only voted for the winner when Republicans won the presidency.

An aside - through the 1988 election "undecided voters" usually broke 80% or more for the challenger. This has been termed "the incumbent rule." The link takes you to a 2004 update. I welcome ideas from you astrologers how this is indicated by astrological factors. I don't believe we can or should factor the 2000 or 2004 elections into the mix, given they were both elections stolen by Karl Rove's tactics and therefore do not accurately reflect the actual votes.

Another real-world factor here is that though the contest is on this day, the electors will not assemble to cast their votes in the EC until the "first Monday after the second Wednesday in December." And in 1824, 1876, and 1888 they didn't follow the popular vote. The 1824 election was stolen from Andrew Jackson; payback came 4 years later when he blew JQ Adams out of the water in the 1828 election.

Perhaps astrological factors in these elections can offer hints into possible "stolen election" scenarios, but the election charts would have to be done for an indicator other than Dixville Notch, since that location first became America's first vote tally in the 1960 election. Before that it was at Hart's Location in NH beginning with the 1948 election.

In the Dixville Notch chart, the Defender McCain has his primary ruler at 19 Virgo, very close to his Neptune at 17. The sextile between the Sun and Saturn, as well as the trine from the Sun to Uranus, seems to indicate that Barack Obama is a key player in resolving the split between the two rulers of the Defendant. His ruler creates productivity and understanding in the larger oppositional forces tearing at our nation. Other significant contacts include the chart Ascendant being the exact degree of Obama's North Node (an extremely favorable contact!), the midpoint of the chart's Neptune conjunct Chiron exactly conjunct Obama's Ascendant, and the chart's Uranus within two degrees of McCain's Saturn at 21 Pisces.

What jumps out is that John McCain has a natal Saturn in Pisces opposed his Neptune in Virgo, with the midpoint of the opposition exactly mirroring the current Saturn at 19 Virgo opposition Uranus at 19 Pisces. This is the primary indicator of why he has made statements that contradict each other, sometimes within just a few weeks, and his campaign has been termed "lurching," "erratic," and "unfocused." Welcome to John McCain's very oppositional world. And, with his natal Mars at 13 Leo exactly conjunct Barack Obama's Sun at 13 Leo, no wonder he's in a perpetual attack mode while Obama seems very "kingly."

McCain's rulers are somewhat strengthened by the Moon's sign position, though it's in the past since the aspects are separating. That would indicate that his favor with the public is beginning to wane, very much in line with what present polls indicate. However, the Moon makes a very favorable quintile to Obama's ruler. The Moon is the public in general, but also is a co-significator of the challenger on a spiritual level. It is ruled by McCain's primary significator, showing the country as a whole is in fact a "center-right" nation.

The only significant aspects the Moon makes other than the quintile to the Sun is a sextile to Mars and semisextile to Neptune, resolving that exact square between Mars and Neptune. This square shows major elements of deception are still at work in this election. However, countering this aspect is the very strong Mercury exactly sextile Pluto, showing an ability to know the truth and cut through lies and deceptions.

Mars on the nadir shows the election outcome is both stimulating and aggravating to the nation, but with Venus also in the 4th in Sagittarius, other countries will become more agreeable as a result of this election. That Venus is just separating from the T-square with McCain's rulers would indicate that he is very challenging to our foreign allies, these being ruled by Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn as indicated by the chart.

As with all American elections, Mars rules the Sun in this chart, showing Barack Obama is extraordinarily focused and in command of his own ship. The Sun conjunct Mars in the sign Mars rules shows a very powerful and dominant influence. With Mars on the nadir in the fourth house, would seem to indicate that at the end of the contest, Barack Obama will win.

Unlike Election 2004 when Cancer and Libra dominated the chart, this chart is much different. The main points in this chart (in no particular order):

The tight opposition between Saturn and Uranus defining the Bowl Jones Pattern.

Conjunctions in Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, and Aquarius.

Mars as a stand-alone dispositor of the Sun, with everything else disposed by a round robin effect of Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn as discussed earlier.

The election falls in a Crescent Moon, indicating a very assertive event, with both sides confident and needing to make an impression on the public. This Lunar phase is said to have as process the challenge of old forms left over from previous cycles, which is certainly the tack both campaigns have taken. It seems that NO ONE wants to continue the forms of the failed Bush presidency.

It's also interesting to note that this phase is said to be one of repolarizing away from a personal emphasis to a greater concern, and that's also the message of both candidacies. However, McCain has chosen to cling to a more personal emphasis in his attacks on Obama and his choice of his running mate, which would seemingly be contrary to the mood of the public. This election was never going to be about personalities, but about concern for the future of America, both in general as well as the American people.

The Moon in the sign of its exile (Capricorn) shows the public is sorely stressed and feeling deprived, as though it has been orphaned by the powers-that-be. This is certainly indicated by recent financial events favoring the banking elite while leaving the public hung out to dry, twisting in the wind of indebtedness, deprivation, and poverty.

The emphasis on the very prominent Earth and Water energies would seem to indicate that though highly emotional, this election is also about practicalities. The opposition between Saturn in Virgo and Uranus in Pisces shows a clear split in the McCain camp between the pragmatic, economic conservatives (Saturn in Earth) and the willful, scared, and very bizarre religious extremists (Uranus in Pisces). This opposition clearly indicates the fractured state of the Republican Party.

Weird surprises and deceptions would usually be indicated by the Uranus in Pisces in the house of the Defender. Expect unexpected things during and after the elections involving deceit and confusions (Pisces). Real World: There will be numerous challenges to voters by Republicans from them asserting vote fraud, even as they continue to create massive voter disenfranchisement in many states and continue to promote touchscreen voting machines that always seem to malfunction in ways that favor Republicans. This is not surprising since Republicans own the companies that make these machines.

As noted, these dirty tricks are indicated by Uranus in Pisces which has been in the house of the Defender for elections held in 2004 and 2006, as well as this one. Voters have already been illegally stripped from rolls through Republican deceit and/or illegal actions in many states and touch screen machines have already flipped countless votes from Democrat to Republican in early voting in at least a half dozen states according to voters who have reported experiencing such things.

Then there are the numerous more local deceptions by Republicans, such as sending out official looking flyers telling voters that because of record turnout, Republicans are to vote on Nov 4 while Democrats are to vote on Nov 5, which of course is NOT election day. These and other deceptions have already been reported in the national news. Uranus in Pisces indeed! At least this election we have the steady hand and meticulous scrutiny of Saturn in Virgo in the challenger's house supported by some favorable aspects by the Sun and Jupiter.

According to William Lilly, one of the greatest horary astrologers of all time, that the Sun and Moon are essentially unafflicted is good news for Barack Obama, and Mars in Scorpio strengthens his ruler. McCain's Saturn in Virgo would ordinarily be favorable, but in the house of the challenger virtually assures his loss. Again, the 4th house Mars in its own sign is very favorable for Obama, and there are no supporting elements that would indicate a favorable outcome for McCain.

Though I don't want to do an in-depth analysis of the Sunrise chart for election day, all other factors still hold. This chart gives the added power of the ruler of the Ascendant in its own house and sign, while the ruler of the Defender is fairly afflicted. Neptune in Aquarius in the solar 4th afflicting both the Sun and ruler of the Ascendant also indicates the voting machine problems.

To sum it up, all things considered the Dixville Notch chart seems to mirror what's going on in this election, so I believe that my previous predictions will come true and Barack Obama will be elected the next President of the United States. President Barack Obama may confront a divided America and world, but with his nobility, focus, and determination I'm sure he's up for the job. Now if he can just get inaugurated.....

Copyright © 2008 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[Matt]

Robert -

I have two comments.

1) What's your house calculation method? Equal? I originally brought up the chart using Placidus and it put the Saturn-Uranus opposition on the cusps of the 2nd and the 8th (would that alter your analysis?).

2) One of my other favorite astrologers has intermittently made remarks about having a VOC moon on inauguration day (unless if I have the date wrong, VOC moon is in Scorpio). What do you make of this? And related to inauguration day... I'm somewhat scared to ask what you think might happen between when he wins the election (and the EC votes the way it should) and inauguration day.

[J. Sue Gagliardi]

Hi Robert,

What an article! Fabulous! I'm so glad you posted this because I was at a loss as to what time and place I should use for Election Day. Old doggies can still learn new tricks! ;o)

Sue

[michele]

as always great info & in-sight

you can see how the patterns revealed in the charts & universal pattens of aspects intersect to enact the overall universal pattern & plan....
change is inevitable in this transition...now who support & reflects the energetic pattern of this great transition/cycle of change?
revealed in the charts & in the interplay of overriding universal energy patterns....

great info

:-)

[reefaroundme]

Here's hoping!

Thanks!

just a note to let you know, whenever I try to go to your home page, it times out, but I can get here through a news feed or a bookmarked article... this has gone on for days... Are you having server issues?

[Robert]

Hi Matt - Well, since the opposition is still from the 1st to 7th houses regardless of which house system one uses, then no, the analysis stands as is. Equal house is the fall back system I use as a cross check to what falls in which house. As for inauguration, the Moon is NOT void of course. It makes an exact tredecile with Venus a few minutes after noon. I know this is contrary to the CW, but nonetheless, I do not consider the Moon VOC for the coming inauguration. (I believe I'm the first astrologer anywhere to note this fact!) Probably best to examine his natal and progressed planets to see what's up in the near future for the man.

Hi Sue - It used to be a question that came up frequently until I realized it's whenever the inception of the national process begins. And though there is early voting, still the actual "voting day" is the point in time after which there can be no more votes, so that day in November marks the final punctuation of the legal process. It seemed the only way to get beyond using the times when the precincts open in a given state, which would be another factor to measure. Following up on my comment to Matt, when the "experts" realize the Moon is not VOC at inauguration 2009, there is sure to be a major stir in our community! I'll be doing an article soon which will explore the inauguration chart.

Hi Michele - Thanks. We do stand on the edge of great changes!

Hi reefaroundme - Interesting observation. I noted a steep drop last January after someone at google put a veil over my site, which I got restored after three weeks. I lost about 500-700 visitors a day. Though it seems to be okay now, I've noted that I'm still about 500-700 off my peak at that time and wondered if there's something out there not allowing people using some engine or portal or browser to access this site. I don't think I have server issues, since many don't have a problem getting directly to my site, but have wondered if someone out there isn't monkeywrenching my site somehow. In you can do any research on your end and find something, please email me and let me know what you find.

[Richard Apollo Morlokk]

Assessment: US Case Closed. Obama sells history, McCain sells himself space n~SPACE Space space n-SPACE SPACE N+SPACE A N=SPACE I N_SPACE A N*SPACE FACE N(SPACE) SPACE N’SPACE Matrix space n.SPACE S SPACE N,space p n~space ac n-space e space n+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE Universal space n_SPACE Ai space n*space pace space n(SPACE) SPACE N’SPACE Mirror space n.SPACE S SPACE N,space a n~space face space n-SPACE SPACE N+space f n=space le n_space s n*space mi n(space) h space n’SPACE A N.SPACE I SPACE N,space pa n~space c n-space e space n+SPACE SPACE N=space s n_space l n*space le n(space) s space n’SPACE A N.SPACE I SPACE N,space pa n~space c n-space e space n+SPACE SPACE N=space n n_space n*SPACE I N(space) a space n’SPACE C SPACE N.space c space n,SPACE M SPACE N~SPACE A N-SPACE I SPACE N+space pa n=space c n_space e space n*SPACE SPACE N(space) am n’space mo space n.SPACE C SPACE N,SPACE Space space n~SPACE SPACE N-space y n+space rots n=space n_SPACE I N*space h space n(SPACE) A N’SPACE I SPACE N.space pa n,space c n~space e space n-SPACE SPACE N+space s n=space l n_space le n*space s space n(SPACE) A N’SPACE I SPACE N.space pa n,space c n~space e space n-SPACE SPACE N+space am n=space a n_space b space n*SPACE O SPACE N(SPACE) A N’SPACE I SPACE N.space pa n,space c n~space e space n-SPACE SPACE N+space do n=space n_SPACE I N*space re space n(SPACE) P SPACE N’SPACE Space space n.SPACE SPACE N,space de n~space sol space n-SPACE C SPACE N+SPACE A N=SPACE I SPACE N_space pa n*space c n(space) e space n’SPACE SPACE N.space e n,space s n~space a space n-SPACE C SPACE N+SPACE A N=SPACE I SPACE N_space pa n*space c n(space) e space n’SPACE SPACE N.SPACE S N,SPACE U SPACE N~SPACE Space space n-SPACE SPACE N+SPACE A N=SPACE I N_SPACE A N*SPACE FACE N(SPACE) SPACE N’SPACE Mirror space n.SPACE S SPACE N,space p n~space ac n-space e space n+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE Universal space n_SPACE Ai space n*space pace space n(SPACE) SPACE N’SPACE Matrix space n.SPACE US SPACE N,SPACE A N~SPACE I SPACE N-space pa n+space c n=space e space n_SPACE SPACE N*SPACE C SPACE N(space) a n’space se space n.SPACE SPACE N,SPACE C SPACE N~space lose n-space d space n+SPACE Period space n=SPACE Space space n_SPACE SPACE N*SPACE A N(SPACE) I SPACE N’space pa n.space c n,space e space n~SPACE SPACE N-SPACE O SPACE N+space b n=space am n_space a space n*SPACE A N(SPACE) I SPACE N’space pa n.space c n,space e space n~SPACE SPACE N-space sell n+space s space n=SPACE A N_SPACE I SPACE N*space pa n(space) c n’space e space n.SPACE SPACE N,space hi n~space story space n-SPACE Comma space n+SPACE Space space n=SPACE SPACE N_SPACE A N*SPACE I SPACE N(space) pa n’space c n.space e space n,SPACE SPACE N~SPACE Mc space n-SPACE Ca space n+space n=SPACE I N_space n space n*SPACE A N(SPACE) I SPACE N’space pa n.space c n,space e space n~SPACE SPACE N-space sell n+space s space n=SPACE A N_SPACE I SPACE N*space pa n(space) c n’space e space n.SPACE SPACE N,space him n~space self space n-SPACE Space space n+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE A N_SPACE I N*SPACE A N(SPACE) FACE N’SPACE SPACE N.SPACE; Saturn Uranus Neptune, Apocalypse NOW Space space n~SPACE SPACE N-SPACE A N+SPACE I N=SPACE A N_SPACE FACE N*SPACE SPACE N(SPACE) Matrix space n’SPACE S SPACE N.space pace space n,SPACE SPACE N~SPACE Universal space n-SPACE Ai space n+space a n=space face space n_SPACE SPACE N*SPACE Mirror space n(SPACE) S SPACE N’space p n.space ac n,space e space n~SPACE SPACE N-SPACE WON SPACE N+SPACE A N=SPACE I SPACE N_space a n*space face space n(SPACE) SPACE N’space e n.space sp n,space y n~space la n-space cop space n+SPACE A SPACE N=SPACE A N_SPACE I SPACE N*space a n(space) face space n’SPACE SPACE N.space am n,space mo space n~SPACE C SPACE N-SPACE Space space n+SPACE SPACE N=space e n_space nut n*space p n(space) e space n’SPACE N SPACE N.SPACE A N,SPACE I SPACE N~space a n-space face space n+SPACE SPACE N=space sun n_space a n*space r space n(SPACE) U SPACE N’SPACE A N.SPACE I SPACE N,space a n~space face space n-SPACE SPACE N+space n n=space rut n_space a space n*SPACE S SPACE N(SPACE) Space space n’SPACE SPACE N.SPACE A N,SPACE I N~SPACE P N-SPACE ACE N+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE Mirror space n_SPACE S SPACE N*space a n(space) face space n’SPACE SPACE N.SPACE Universal space n,SPACE Ai space n~space p n-space ac n+space e space n=SPACE SPACE N_SPACE Matrix space n*SPACE Space space n(SPACE) SPACE N’SPACE S SPACE N.space at n,space urn space n~SPACE A N-SPACE I SPACE N+space a n=space face space n_SPACE SPACE N*SPACE U SPACE N(space) ran n’space us space n.SPACE A N,SPACE I SPACE N~space a n-space face space n+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE Ne space n_space p n*space tune space n(SPACE) Co space n’space mm n.space a space n,SPACE Space space n~SPACE SPACE N-SPACE A N+SPACE I SPACE N=space a n_space face space n*SPACE SPACE N(SPACE) A SPACE N’space p n.space n,SPACE O N~space c n-space al n+space y n=space p n_space se space n*SPACE A N(SPACE) I SPACE N’space a n.space face space n,SPACE SPACE N~SPACE NO N-SPACE W SPACE N+SPACE Space space n=SPACE SPACE N_SPACE ALLAH SPACE N*SPACE Ai space n(space) p n’space ace space n.SPACE SPACE N,SPACE ISIS SPACE N~SPACE S SPACE N-space a n+space face space n=SPACE SPACE N_SPACE WODAN SPACE N*SPACE A N(SPACE) I SPACE N’space pace space n.SPACE SPACE N,SPACE Saturn Uranus Neptune space n~SPACE Comma space n-SPACE Space space n+SPACE SPACE N=SPACE A N_SPACE I SPACE N*space a n(space) face space n’SPACE SPACE N.SPACE Apocalypse NOW: MORLOKK THE MAGE ASATHOR DRIVER INDRA RA THUNDERGOD APOLLYON PHOENIX JEDHI THUNDERBIRD I BUDDAH BENEVOLENT TRUE BUDDHA SUPREME; HIM EMISSARY OFFICIAL WIZARD RAINBOW WARRIOR OF THE ALL MIGHTY CREATOR > GOD? GREAT LORD OF WISDOM & MANY NAMES, ALLAH HIM GOD WODAN.

[Mountain Guy]

Don't really know a thing about astrology, other than what I just read here, but I just saw the results from Dixville Notch; 16-5 Obama. Wow