Election Administration In New Hampshire

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Election Information
Voter registration
Early voting
Absentee/mail-in voting
All-mail voting
Voter ID laws
State poll opening and closing times
Time off work for voting
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Election administration encompasses a state's voting policies, procedures, and enforcement. These include voter identification requirements, early and absentee/mail-in voting provisions, voter list maintenance methods, and more. Each state's voting policies dictate who can vote and under what conditions.

Below, you will find details on the following election administration topics in New Hampshire:

Poll times[edit]

See also: State poll opening and closing times

In New Hampshire, polling place hours of operation vary. According to state law, polling places must be open between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Localities may set their own polling hours as long as they are open during those hours prescribed by state law.^[2] Anyone in line when the polls close must be allowed to vote.^[3] To search for the hours your polling place is open, click here.

Voter registration[edit]

Check your voter registration status here.

To register to vote in New Hampshire, each applicant must provide documentary proof of United States citizenship, be a resident of New Hampshire, and be at least 18 years old by the next election. Individuals may register to vote at the local clerk's office, with the community's supervisors of the checklist or registrar of voters, or at the polling place on the day of the election.^[4][5] Absentee registration is allowed for those who meet the following criteria:

Absentee registration requires mailing a voter registration form and a witnessed absentee voter registration affidavit to the local clerk. Absentee registrants must still provide proof of citizenship and age unless they were previously or currently registered to vote.^[4][7]

Automatic registration[edit]

See also: Automatic voter registration

New Hampshire does not practice automatic voter registration.^[8]

Online registration[edit]

See also: Online voter registration

New Hampshire does not permit online voter registration.

Same-day registration[edit]

See also: Same-day voter registration

New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration.^[4]

Residency requirements[edit]

In New Hampshire, citizens can register to vote the day they move to the state.^[4]

Verification of citizenship[edit]

See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

New Hampshire requires voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed HB 1569 into law on September 17, 2024. The legislation required voter registration applicants to provide one of the following at the time of registration: "birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers if the applicant is a naturalized citizen, or any other reasonable documentation which indicates the applicant is a United States citizen."^[9]

All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.^[10] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. One state, Ohio, requires proof of citizenship only when registering to vote at a Bureau of Motor Vehicles facility. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

Verifying your registration[edit]

The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.

Early and absentee/mail-in voting policy[edit]

Early voting[edit]

See also: Early voting

New Hampshire does not permit early voting.

Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

Absentee/mail-in voting[edit]

See also: Absentee/mail-in voting

A voter is eligible to vote absentee in an election if he or she cannot make it to the polls on Election Day for one of the following reasons:^[11]

• The voter will be absent from his or her polling location on the day of the election.
• The voter is unable to visit the polls because of the observance of a religious commitment.
• The voter is unable to visit the polls because of a physical disability.
• The voter is unable to visit the polls because of an employment obligation.
• The voter is confined in a penal institution for a misdemeanor conviction or is awaiting trial.
• The voter is a member of the address confidentiality program or is protected by a domestic violence protective order.
• The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard, or ice storm warning for the area where the voter lives, and they have concerns about traveling safely to the polling place.

Voters requesting an absentee ballot by mail must do so by 12:00 p.m. the day before the election. The deadline for in-person absentee ballot requests is 5:00 p.m. the day before the election.^[11]

The completed ballot must be received by a local clerk by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day.^[12] A voter must include a photocopy of a valid photo identification or a notarized signature with the absentee ballot application. Voters may also present photo identification at a town clerk’s office to request an absentee ballot.^[11][13]

All states allow for some form of absentee/mail-in voting. Seven states and the District of Columbia had automatic mail-in ballot systems that mandate that all eligible voters receive an absentee/mail ballot by default. An eighth state, Vermont, had such a system for general elections only.

Twenty-eight states allow any eligible voter to cast an absentee/mail-in ballot. The remaining 14 states required voters to provide an excuse to receive and cast an absentee/mail ballot. Acceptable excuses vary by state.

Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]

See also: Mail ballot collection and return laws by state

Voters may return absentee ballots by mail or in person to the clerk in the city or town in which he or she is registered to vote. Additionally, a voter’s spouse, parent, sibling, child, grandchild, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, stepparent, or stepchild may deliver the ballot to the appropriate clerk on his or her behalf. Nursing home or residential care facility administrators or staff or individuals assisting a blind or disabled voter may also return ballots on a voter's behalf. The individual will have to show photo ID and complete a form provided by the secretary of state.^[14]

Ballots must be received by the town or city clerk, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Election Day.^[11]

Twenty states allow anyone chosen by the voter to return a ballot on the voter's behalf, with certain exceptions, while 16 states allow anyone with certain relationships to the voter to return the voter's ballot. Four states allow only the voter to return the voter's ballot, with certain exceptions, and two states required voters to return their ballots by mail. Eight states and D.C. do not specify who may return ballots.

Drop box availability[edit]

New Hampshire does not have a law related to drop boxes.

Signature requirements and cure provisions[edit]

New Hampshire does not have a cure provision, or a law providing for a process where election officials follow up with voters whose absentee ballots contain a signature discrepancy or lack the requisite signatures. The voter is required to sign an affidavit on the absentee ballot envelope. A ballot is rejected if the affidavit is unsigned or not properly filled out.^[15]

Thirty-three states have laws that include cure provisions, while 17 states do not. One state, Pennsylvania, allows counties to establish a cure process.

Was your absentee/mail-in ballot counted?[edit]

Use the Voter Information Lookup provided by the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office to check the status of your absentee ballot.

Voter identification requirements[edit]

See also: Voter ID in New Hampshire

See also: Voter identification laws by state

New Hampshire requires voters to present photo identification while voting.^[16]

The following list of accepted ID was current as of December 2025. Click here for the New Hampshire Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.

To view New Hampshire law pertaining to voter identification, click here.

Additionally, a moderator or other election official may verify the voter’s identity.^[16]

A voter may obtain a free photo ID for voting purposes by presenting a voucher from their local clerk or the New Hampshire Secretary of State to any New Hampshire Department of Motor Vehicles office that issues identification.^[16]

Thirty-six states require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 require voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 12 accept other forms of identification. The remaining 14 states do not require voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day.

Valid forms of identification differ by state. In certain states that require voters to provide identification, there may be exceptions that allow some voters to cast a ballot without providing an ID. To see more about these exceptions, see details by state. Commonly accepted forms of ID include driver's licenses, state-issued identification cards, and military identification cards.

Provisional ballot rules[edit]

House Bill 1569, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in September 2024, eliminated the use of provisional ballots, which are called affidavit ballots, when a first-time voter is unable to provide identification at their polling place.^[17]

Federal law requires most states to provide for a provisional balloting process (states that had enacted same-day voter registration processes as of 1993 were exempted from this requirement). As of December 2025, every state except Idaho, Minnesota, and New Hampshire had established some type of provisional voting process.^[18]

Primary election type[edit]

See also: Primary elections in New Hampshire

A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. New Hampshire uses a semi-closed primary system. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the primary, but in order to do so, they have to choose a party before voting. This changes their status from unaffiliated to affiliated with that party unless they fill out a card to return to undeclared status.^[19][20]

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Time off work for voting[edit]

Ballotpedia did not find a law specifying whether voters must be given time off from work to vote in this state. Nolo.com notes that states without such state laws may have administrative regulations or local ordinances pertaining to time off for voting and suggests calling your local board of elections or state labor department for more information.^[21]

If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us.

Twenty-eight states require employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies vary as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.

Electioneering[edit]

New Hampshire prohibits electioneering in a polling place and in a no-electioneering corridor that extends "from all entrances of the polling place a reasonable distance along the sidewalks or to the parking lots that serve the polling place." Election officials must establish a corridor to permit "a voter arriving or leaving the polling place to enter or exit without interruption or interference from individuals outside the corridor, and that permits a voter to step to the edge of the corridor and speak with those electioneering if he or she chooses."^[22]

Violations of New Hampshire's electioneering law are punishable by a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 per violation.^[22]

Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]

See also: Voting rights for people convicted of a felony

In New Hampshire, people convicted of a felony regain their voting rights automatically upon completion of their prison sentence. Felony is defined as "A crime committed against the laws of this state or of the federal government for which a sentence of death or imprisonment in the state prison or a federal prison or penitentiary."^[23] Click here for more information about New Hampshire's policy regarding felony convictions and voting rights.

Voting rights for people convicted of a felony vary from state to state. In the majority of states, people convicted of a felony cannot vote while they are incarcerated but may regain the right to vote upon release from prison or at some point thereafter.^[24]

Voter list maintenance[edit]

All states have rules under which they maintain voter rolls—or, check and remove certain names from their lists of registered voters. Most states are subject to the parameters set by The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA).^[25] The NVRA requires states to make efforts to remove deceased individuals and individuals who have become ineligible due to a change of address. It prohibits removing registrants from voter lists within 90 days of a federal election due to change of address unless a registrant has requested to be removed, or from removing people from voter lists solely because they have not voted. The NVRA says that states may remove names from their registration lists under certain other circumstances and that their methods for removing names must be uniform and nondiscriminatory.^[26]

When names can be removed from the voter list[edit]

New Hampshire law authorizes election officials to remove the names of voters from the registered voting list if an individual:^{[27][28][29][30]}

• dies
• is determined to have moved out of their voting jurisdiction
• is convicted of a felony or a crime related to elections
• fails to respond to address and registration confirmation notices

Inactive voter list rules[edit]

State law authorizes election officials to contact individuals determined to have moved or been ineligible with a notice to reconfirm their registration qualifications. The individual has 30 days to respond. If they fail to respond, they are removed from the list of registered voters.^[31][32][33]

In addition, New Hampshire election officials are required to conduct a voter verification program every year. If a voter has not voted in the past five years before the annual verification program, their registration may be eligible for cancellation unless they registered to vote since the last state general election. Voters must be sent a notice at least 30 days before removal, giving them a chance to have their name retained on the voter rolls.^[34]

The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]

See also: Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)

According to its website, ERIC is a nonprofit corporation that is governed by a board of member-states. These member states submit voter registration and motor vehicle registration information to ERIC. ERIC uses this information, as well as Social Security death records and other sources, to provide member states with reports showing voters who have moved within their state, moved out of their state, died, have duplicate registrations in their state, or are potentially eligible to vote but are not yet registered. ERIC's website describes its funding as follows: "Members fund ERIC. New members pay a one-time membership fee of $25,000, which is reserved for technology upgrades and other unanticipated expenses. Members also pay annual dues. Annual dues cover operating costs and are based, in part, on the citizen voting age population in each state."^[35]

Twenty-five states are participating members in the ERIC program. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia have joined and participated in ERIC at some point.^[36]

As of December 2025, New Hampshire was not participating in the ERIC program.^[37]

Post-election auditing[edit]

New Hampshire state law requires post-election audits. The secretary of state selects eight ballot counting devices from different cities or wards after each state primary, general elections, and after the presidential primary. Two individuals will compare the paper ballots corresponding to each device with the results from the specific device being audited. The audit shall be open to the public, but no one but the audit team may physically touch ballots. The sample size for the audit is 2% of the ballots processed by the device if that number is greater than 50. If that number is less than 50, the size of the audit is 50 ballots or the total number of ballots processed, whichever is smaller. Any discrepancies are documented, and in "the event of significant differences, the secretary of state may expand the number of ballots sampled and compared with the voters' choices recorded for each ballot and may order a full hand recount."^[38]

The secretary of state must publish audit results no later than 12:00 p.m. on the Friday after the election.^[38]

Post-election audits check that election results tallied by a state's voting system match results from paper records, such as paper ballots filled out by voters or the paper records produced by electronic voting machines. Post-election audits are classified into two categories: audits of election results—which include traditional post-election audits as well as risk-limiting audits—and procedural audits.^[39][40]

Typically, traditional post-election audits are done by recounting a portion of ballots, either electronically or by hand, and comparing the results to those produced by the state's voting system. In contrast, risk-limiting audits use statistical methods to compare a random sample of votes cast to election results instead of reviewing every ballot. The scope of procedural audits varies by state, but they typically include a systematic review of voting equipment, performance of the voting system, vote totals, duties of election officials and workers, ballot chain of custody, and more.

Forty-six states and the District of Columbia require some form of post-election audit by law, excluding states with pilot programs. Of these, 39 states and the District of Columbia require traditional post-election audits, while three states require risk-limiting post-election audits, and three states require some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.^[41][39]

Election administration authorities[edit]

State election officials[edit]

In New Hampshire, the secretary of state is the chief election official. The secretary of state is appointed biennially by a vote of all members of the New Hampshire General Court.^[42][43] There is no state board of elections or equivalent authority.

Local election officials[edit]

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Do you need information about elections in your area? Are you looking for your local election official? Click here to visit the U.S. Vote Foundation and use their election official lookup tool.

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Noteworthy events[edit]

Post-election auditing legislation (2022)[edit]

On July 1, 2022, Governor Chris Sununu (R) signed SB366 into law, authorizing the secretary of state to conduct an audit of electronic ballot-counting devices used in the 2022 primary and general elections. The legislation mandated that the secretary of state conduct an audit of all applicable devices used in at least two towns or city wards in the primary election. The legislation granted the secretary of state discretion in determining whether to conduct an audit in the general election.^[44]

Election policy ballot measures[edit]

See also: Elections and campaigns on the ballot and List of New Hampshire ballot measures

Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in New Hampshire.

1. New Hampshire Modifications Related to Elections Amendment (1976)
2. New Hampshire 18 Year Old Voting Age Amendment (1974)
3. New Hampshire Remove Provision Disqualifying Women From Voting for State Offices, Question 1 (1958)
4. New Hampshire Legislative Representation, Question 5 (1930)
5. New Hampshire Legislative Representation, Question 4 (1920)
6. New Hampshire Voting Rights for the Convicted, Question 7 (1912)
7. New Hampshire Election by Plurality, Question 8 (1912)
8. New Hampshire Voters Required to Read and Write English, Question 1 (1903)
9. New Hampshire Right to Vote for Untaxed Amendment (1968)
10. New Hampshire Right to Vote Amendment (1968)
11. New Hampshire Right to Vote Amendment (1921)

Recent legislation related to election administration in New Hampshire[edit]

The table below lists bills related to election administration that have been introduced during (or carried over to) the current legislative session in New Hampshire. The following information is included for each bill:

• State
• Bill number
• Official bill name or caption
• Most recent action date
• Legislative status
• Sponsor party
• Topics dealt with by the bill

Bills are organized by most recent action. The table displays up to 100 results. To view more bills, use the arrows in the upper-right corner. Clicking on a bill will open its page on Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker, which includes bill details and a summary.

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Ballot access[edit]

See also: Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New Hampshire

In order to get on the ballot in New Hampshire, a candidate for state or federal office must meet a variety of state-specific filing requirements and deadlines. These regulations, known as ballot access laws, determine whether a candidate or party will appear on an election ballot. These laws are set at the state level. A candidate must prepare to meet ballot access requirements well in advance of primaries, caucuses, and the general election.

There are three basic methods by which an individual may become a candidate for office in a state.

1. An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
2. An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
3. An individual can run as a write-in candidate.

This article outlines the steps that prospective candidates for state-level and congressional office must take in order to run for office in New Hampshire. For information about filing requirements for presidential candidates, click here. Information about filing requirements for local-level offices is not available in this article (contact state election agencies for information about local candidate filing processes).

Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in New Hampshire

Redistricting is the process by which new congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn. Each of New Hampshire's two United States Representatives and 424 state legislators are elected from political divisions called districts. United States Senators are not elected by districts, but by the states at large. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. The federal government stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.^{[45][46][47][48]}

New Hampshire was apportioned 2 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives after the 2020 census, the same number it received after the 2010 census. Click here for more information about redistricting in New Hampshire after the 2020 census.

State process[edit]

See also: State-by-state redistricting procedures

In New Hampshire, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. These lines are subject to veto by the governor.^[49]

State law requires that state legislative districts "be contiguous, and maintain the boundaries of towns, wards, or unincorporated places." There are no such requirements in place for congressional districts.^[49]

Contact information[edit]

Election agencies[edit]

Seal of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission

See also: State election agencies

Individuals seeking additional information about election administration in New Hampshire can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.

New Hampshire Town Clerks

Click here for a list

Secretary of State, Elections Division

State House, Room 204

107 North Main Street

Concord, New Hampshire 03301

Phone: 603-271-3242

Fax: 603-271-6316

Email: elections@sos.nh.gov

Website: https://www.sos.nh.gov

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

633 3rd Street NW, Suite 200

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 301-563-3919

Toll free: 1-866-747-1471

Email: clearinghouse@eac.gov

Website: https://www.eac.gov

Ballotpedia's election coverage[edit]

U.S. Congress special elections

Governors

Attorney general

Other state executives

State legislatures

State ballot measures

Local ballot measures

State judges

Local judges

Municipal government

School boards

Recall

See also[edit]

• Election laws and legislation in New Hampshire
• State of Election Administration Legislation Reports
• Factors affecting the speed of ballot counting and delivery of unofficial election results
• Voting in New Hampshire
• Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New Hampshire
• Redistricting in New Hampshire

Elections in New Hampshire[edit]

External links[edit]

• New Hampshire Secretary of State - Elections
• New Hampshire Voter Information Lookup

Footnotes[edit]

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