2018 New Hampshire State Legislature elections | |
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General | November 6, 2018 |
Primary | September 11, 2018 |
2018 elections | |
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Choose a chamber below: | |
The Republican primary elections for the seats in the New Hampshire State Senate and New Hampshire House of Representatives were on September 11, 2018. For information about the Democratic primary elections in New Hampshire, click here.
The general election was on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was June 15, 2018. In the state Senate, all 24 seats were up for election. In the state House, all 400 seats were up for election.
Sixty-six state House Republicans did not seek re-election in 2018.
One state Senate Republican did not seek re-election in 2018.
Ten state House Republicans were defeated in the primaries.
Year | Total seats | Open seats | Total candidates | Democratic primaries contested | Republican primaries contested | Total contested | Incumbents contested in primaries | Total incumbents contested in primaries |
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2018 | 424 | 105 | 866 | 34 | 36 | 15.4% | 86 | 27.0% |
2016 | 424 | 117 | 865 | 25 | 52 | 16.9% | 125 | 40.7% |
2014 | 424 | 122 | 878 | 20 | 57 | 16.9% | 98 | 32.5% |
The tables below show the partisan breakdowns of the New Hampshire House of Representatives and the New Hampshire State Senate as of September 2018:
Party | As of September 2018 | |
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Democratic Party | 173 | |
Republican Party | 216 | |
Libertarian Party | 2 | |
Vacancies | 9 | |
Total | 400 |
Party | As of September 2018 | |
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Democratic Party | 10 | |
Republican Party | 14 | |
Vacancies | 0 | |
Total | 24 |
Ballotpedia identified battleground races in the 2018 New Hampshire state legislative Republican primary elections. These primaries had the potential to be more competitive than other races and could have led to changes in the membership of the Republican caucus or had an impact on general election races.
To determine the New Hampshire state legislative Republican primary battleground races in 2018, Ballotpedia examined races that fit one or more of the three factors listed below:
This section provides an overview of media reactions to the New Hampshire state legislative Republican primaries.[7] Selected articles are presented as a jumping-off point for deeper exploration of media coverage and as an overview of narratives that have emerged surrounding the elections.
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.[8][9][10]
For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.
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.[11] To search for the hours your polling place is open, click 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.[12][13] 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.[12]
New Hampshire does not practice automatic voter registration.
New Hampshire does not permit online voter registration.
New Hampshire allows same-day voter registration.
In New Hampshire, citizens can register to vote the day they move to the state.[12]
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."[14]
The New Hampshire Secretary of State’s office allows residents to check their voter registration status online by visiting this website.
New Hampshire requires voters to present photo identification while voting.[15] 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.[16]
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.
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or clerk of a town, ward or city.[17] |
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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.[15]
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.[15]
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.
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:[18]
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.[18]