Election administration in New Hampshire
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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] 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 be a citizen of the United States, an inhabitant of New Hampshire, and 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. Applicants must fill out a voter registration form and either show proof of identity and citizenship or sign an affidavit witnessed by an election official.[3][4] Absentee registration is allowed for those who are “unable to register in person because of physical disability, religious beliefs, military service, or because of temporary absence.” Absentee registration requires mailing a voter registration form and witnessed absentee voter registration affidavit to the local clerk.[3]
Automatic registration[edit]
New Hampshire does not practice automatic voter registration.
Online registration[edit]
- See also: Online voter registration
New Hampshire does not permit online voter registration.
Same-day registration[edit]
New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration.
Residency requirements[edit]
In New Hampshire, citizens can register to vote the day they move to the state.[3]
Verification of citizenship[edit]
New Hampshire requires voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, as of November 2024. 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."[5]
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.
As of February 2024, 47 states and the District of Columbia permitted 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:[6]
- 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 unable to visit the polls due to military service.
There is no specific deadline to apply for an absentee ballot. The completed ballot must be returned either in person by 5:00 p.m. the day before the election or by mail. If returned by mail, the ballot must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day.[6]
Returning absentee/mail-in ballots[edit]
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, or child may deliver the ballot to the appropriate clerk on his or her behalf. The family member will have to show photo ID and complete a form provided by the secretary of state. Ballots must be received by the town or city clerk, no later than 5:00 p.m. on election day.[6]
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 execute "an affidavit on the absentee ballot envelope. If the affidavit is not properly executed or not signed by the proper person, the ballot is rejected," according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.[7]
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.[8] A voter without required ID may sign a challenged voter affidavit and vote. Within 90 days of the election, all such voters will be mailed a non-forwardable letter asking them to confirm their identity. Returned letters, or letters that receive a response indicating the recipient did not sign a challenged voter affidavit, are forwarded to the secretary of state for voter fraud investigations.[9]
The following list of accepted ID was current as of June 2024. Click here for the New Hampshire Secretary of State page on accepted ID to ensure you have the most current information.
| “ |
or clerk of a town, ward or city.[10] |
” |
Additionally, a poll worker may verify the voter’s identity. If anyone authorized to challenge a voter objects to the poll worker’s verification, the voter would have to complete a challenged voter affidavit.[8]
Voters without proper photo identification can complete a challenged voter affidavit. A poll worker will take a photo of the voter and attach it to the affidavit. The voter may then cast a regular ballot. If the voter objects to being photographed for religious reasons, he or she can complete an affidavit of religious exemption, which will be attached to the challenged voter affidavit.[8]
As of April 2024, 35 states required voters to present identification in order to vote at the polls on Election Day. Of these states, 24 required voters to present identification containing a photograph, and 11 accepted other forms of identification. The remaining 16 states did 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 balloting for voters without ID[edit]
Voters who do not have ID while voting may cast provisional ballots. See below for provisional ballot rules.
Provisional ballot rules[edit]
Voters in New Hampshire who do not provide the required documents at time of registration may cast an affidavit ballot. Election officials provide these voters with an affidavit voter package which includes a prepaid return envelope addressed to the secretary of state for the voter to return the affidavit verification with required identification documentation. Voters must provide the required documentation to the secretary of state's office within seven days of casting a ballot.[11]
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 March 2024, every state except Idaho and Minnesota had established some type of provisional voting process.[12]
Local election officials[edit]
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. |
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.[13][14][15]
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.[16]
If you know of a relevant policy in this state, please email us.
As of September 2024, 28 states required employers to grant employees time off to vote. Within these 28 states, policies varied as to whether that time off must be paid and how much notice must be given.
Voting rules for people convicted of a felony[edit]
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." 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.[17]
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).[18] 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.[19]
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:[20]
- 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. In addition, New Hampshire election officials are required to conduct a voter verification program every 10 years. If a voter has not voted in the past four years prior to the 10-year verification program, their registration may be eligible for cancellation.[21]
The Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC)[edit]
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."[22]
By 2022, 33 states and the District of Columbia had joined ERIC. As of May 2024, 24 states and the District of Columbia were members in the ERIC program.[23]
As of August 2023, New Hampshire was not participating in the ERIC program.
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 either 2 percent of the ballots processed by the device if that number is greater than 50; or, 50 ballots or the total number of ballots processed, whichever is smaller. The secretary of state must publish audit results no late than 12:00 p.m. on the Friday after the election.[24][25]
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.[26][27]
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.
As of October 2024, 49 states and the District of Columbia had some form of post-election audit by law. Of these, 35 states and the District of Columbia required traditional post-election audits, while six states required risk-limiting post-election audits by law. Eight states used some other form of post-election audit, including procedural post-election audits.[28][29]
Noteworthy events[edit]
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.[30]
Election policy ballot measures[edit]
Ballotpedia has tracked the following ballot measures relating to election and campaign policy in New Hampshire.
- New Hampshire Modifications Related to Elections Amendment (1976)
- New Hampshire 18 Year Old Voting Age Amendment (1974)
- New Hampshire Remove Provision Disqualifying Women From Voting for State Offices, Question 1 (1958)
- New Hampshire Legislative Representation, Question 5 (1930)
- New Hampshire Legislative Representation, Question 4 (1920)
- New Hampshire Voting Rights for the Convicted, Question 7 (1912)
- New Hampshire Election by Plurality, Question 8 (1912)
- New Hampshire Voters Required to Read and Write English, Question 1 (1903)
- New Hampshire Right to Vote for Untaxed Amendment (1968)
- New Hampshire Right to Vote Amendment (1968)
- New Hampshire Right to Vote Amendment (1921)
[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 name or caption
- Most recent action date
- Legislative status
- Topics dealt with by the bill
Bills are organized alphabetically, first by state and then by bill number. The table displays up to 100 results by default. To view additional results, use the arrows in the upper-right corner of the table. For more information about a particular bill, click the bill number. This will open a separate page with additional information.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker[edit]
State election laws are changing. Keeping track of the latest developments in all 50 states can seem like an impossible job.
Here's the solution: Ballotpedia's Election Administration Legislation Tracker.
Ballotpedia's Election Administration Tracker sets the industry standard for ease of use, flexibility, and raw power. But that's just the beginning of what it can do:
- Ballotpedia's election experts provide daily updates on bills and other relevant political developments
- We translate complex bill text into easy-to-understand summaries written in everyday language
- And because it's from Ballotpedia, our Tracker is guaranteed to be neutral, unbiased, and nonpartisan
The Ballot Bulletin[edit]
The Ballot Bulletin is a weekly email that delivers the latest updates on election policy. The Ballot Bulletin tracks developments in election policy around the country, including legislative activity, big-picture trends, and recent news. Each email contains in-depth data from our Election Administration Legislation Tracker. You'll also be able to track relevant legislation, with links to and summaries of the bills themselves.
Click here to view recent issues and subscribe.
Ballot access[edit]
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.
- An individual can seek the nomination of a state-recognized political party.
- An individual can run as an independent. Independent candidates often must petition in order to have their names printed on the general election ballot.
- 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.[31][32][33][34]
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.[35]
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.[35]
Election administration agencies[edit]
Election agencies[edit]
- See also: State election agencies
Individuals seeking additional information about voting provisions in New Hampshire can contact the following local, state, and federal agencies.
New Hampshire Town Clerks
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.us
- 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]
- United States Senate Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Democratic Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Democratic primaries, 2024
- United States Senate Republican Party primaries, 2024
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2024
- Republican Party gubernatorial primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Secretary of State primaries, 2024
- Republican Party Attorney General primaries, 2024
- State legislative Republican primaries, 2024
See also[edit]
- 2024 election dates and deadlines
- Voting in New Hampshire
- Ballot access requirements for political candidates in New Hampshire
- Redistricting in New Hampshire
Elections in New Hampshire[edit]
- New Hampshire elections, 2024
- New Hampshire elections, 2023
- New Hampshire elections, 2022
- New Hampshire elections, 2021
- New Hampshire elections, 2020
- New Hampshire elections, 2019
- New Hampshire elections, 2018
- New Hampshire elections, 2017
- New Hampshire elections, 2016
- New Hampshire elections, 2015
- New Hampshire elections, 2014
External links[edit]
Footnotes[edit]
- ↑ We use the term "absentee/mail-in voting" to describe systems in which requests or applications are required. We use the term "all-mail voting" to denote systems where the ballots themselves are sent automatically to all voters. We use the hyphenate term for absentee voting because some states use “mail voting” (or a similar alternative) to describe what has traditionally been called "absentee voting."
- ↑ New Hampshire Revised Statutes - Title 63, Chapter 659.4," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 New Hampshire Secretary of State, “How to Register to Vote,” accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State, “Register to Vote,” accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ General Court of New Hampshire, "CHAPTER 378 HB 1569-FN - FINAL VERSION," accessed November 14, 2024
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 New Hampshire Secretary of State, "Absentee Ballots," accessed April 25, 2023 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "nheav" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "How States Verify Voted Absentee Mail Ballots," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 State of New Hampshire, "Voter ID Law Explanatory Document," accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ New Hampshire Statutes, "§ 659:13," accessed November 1, 2024
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ New Hampshire Election Laws, "659:23-a Affidavit Ballots," accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Provisional Ballots," accessed June 25, 2024
- ↑ NCSL,"State Primary Election Types," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted December 26, 2013, through January 3, 2014, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ New Hampshire Secretary of State,"Voting in Party Primaries," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ NOLO, "Taking Time Off to Vote," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Felon Voting Rights," April 6, 2023
- ↑ As of May 2024, the Justice Department notes, "Six States (Idaho, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming) are exempt from the NVRA because, on and after August 1, 1994, they either had no voter-registration requirements or had election-day voter registration at polling places with respect to elections for federal office."
- ↑ The United States Department of Justice, "The National Voter Registration Act of 1993," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ New Hampshire Statutes, "654.37, 654.36, 654.5-6, and 654.36," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ New Hampshire Statutes, "654.36, 654.36-a, 654.36-b, 654.37, and 654.39," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ ERIC, "FAQ," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ ERIC, "Who We Are," accessed May 29, 2024
- ↑ Bill Track 50, "NH SB489," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 22, 2024
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed July 23, 2024
- ↑ Election Assistance Commission, "Election Audits Across the United States," accessed August 22, 2024
- ↑ Ballotpedia research conducted in October 2024, researching and analyzing various state websites and codes.
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Post-Election Audits," accessed October 4, 2024
- ↑ BillTrack50, "NH SB366," accessed April 25, 2023
- ↑ All About Redistricting, "Why does it matter?" accessed April 8, 2015
- ↑ Indy Week, "Cracked, stacked and packed: Initial redistricting maps met with skepticism and dismay," June 29, 2011
- ↑ The Atlantic, "How the Voting Rights Act Hurts Democrats and Minorities," June 17, 2013
- ↑ Redrawing the Lines, "The Role of Section 2 - Majority Minority Districts," accessed April 6, 2015
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 All About Redistricting, "New Hampshire," accessed May 5, 2015
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