Upcoming Elections
2010 State Primary Election: 09/14/10
2010 General Election: 11/2/10
Polling Place Hours: Polls shall open no later than 11 a.m. and close no earlier than 7 p.m. (exact times vary by polling place).
Click here to download a New Hampshire Frequently Asked Questions document created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
Voter Registration Information
Click here for a New Hampshire Voter Registration Guide created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
Registration Deadlines
The last day to register to appear on the voter checklist for the general election is October 23, 2010. However, unregistered voters may register and vote on the day of the general election. Registration applications may either be submitted in person at the polling place on the day of the election, submitted to the supervisors of the checklists at the meeting held prior to the Election Day, or sent through the mail to the town/city clerk.
Deadline for 2010 General Election: 10/23/10
Identification Required for Registration
The applicant must prove his or her identity during the application process. A person who has in his or her immediate possession a New Hampshire driver's license, Armed Services identification, other photo identification issued by the United States government, a photo driver's license issued by any state or the federal government, a United States passport, or photo identification issued by local or state government must present that identification.
A person who does not have an approved photo identification with him or her may establish identity through any reasonable means, including but not limited to:
- Other forms of photo identification judged to be legitimate and trustworthy by the Supervisors, such as ID badges issued by hospitals, employers, or educational institutions;
- Verification of the person's identity by another person registered as a voter and known to the supervisor or clerk;
- Other reasonable means as determined by the Supervisors.
As a last resort, a person may prove identity by completing the affidavit required of a challenged voter.
How to Check Registration
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Voting Information
Identification Required to Vote
A properly registered voter need not present any identification when obtaining a ballot at the polls. If challenged, the voter need only sign an affidavit stating that he or she is who he or she declares himself or herself to be.
How to Find Your Polling Place
Call 1-866-OUR-VOTE
Absentee Voting
Click here to visit GoVoteAbsentee.org, a resource for absentee voters.
A voter may vote absentee if:
- He or she is absent on the day of any state election from the city, town, or unincorporated place in which he or she is registered to vote. A person who is unable to appear at any time during polling hours at his or her polling place because an employment obligation requires the person to remain physically at work or to be in transit to or from work from the time the polls open until after the time the polls close shall be considered absent.
- He or she cannot appear in public on any election day because of his or her observance of a religious commitment.
- He or she is unable to vote in person by reason of physical disability.
- He or she is a U.S. citizen who is:
- living outside the U.S., or
- a member (or spouse or dependent of a member) of the armed services or affiliated services and will be absent on Election Day.
An application form for an absentee ballot shall be mailed or delivered to any person who applies therefore to the secretary of state or to any town or city clerk. It shall be filled out by the applicant and sent to the clerk of the town or city in which he or she desires to vote. Alternatively, a person may apply for an official absentee ballot by sending to said clerk a written statement containing the information required by the appropriate paragraph of RSA 657:4, or by the federal post card application. In the event that the application is not complete or if there is a reason that the clerk is unable to certify the application, the clerk shall send the applicant an absentee ballot and a notice that such ballot shall not be counted unless the applicant submits the necessary documents within 7 days following receipt of the application.
A voter who has received an official absentee ballot must either mail or personally deliver it to the city or town clerk. Town and city clerks must be available for absentee voters between 3 and 5 p.m. on Election Day. Absentee ballots will be accepted no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day.
Early Voting
Not permitted
Information For People who have Moved or Changed Addresses
Moving Within Same Precinct
- Any registered voter who moves within a town or ward on or prior to the day of an election, and has not informed the supervisors of the checklist, may vote in that election by going to his or her assigned polling place and informing the ballot clerk of his or her new address.
Moving Between Precincts Within the Same County
- If a person changes his or her domicile to a new town or ward, he or she must re-register to vote. If the election official receiving the application confirms through the centralized voter registration database that the applicant is currently registered to vote in New Hampshire, the applicant shall prove identity and domicile, but shall not be required to prove his or her age or citizenship.
- If the supervisors of the checklist in any town or ward receive a notice of transfer from another board of supervisors of the checklist in the state of New Hampshire that a voter whose name is on the checklist has been added to the checklist of some other town or city, they shall strike that name from the checklist at the next session of the correction of the checklist.
- If the supervisors of the checklist receive a report from the United States Postal Service of the department of safety directly or through the secretary of state through the use of the centralized voter registration database, that a voter has permanently changed his or her address to another city, state or town, they shall strike that person's name from the checklist at the next meeting for the correction of the checklist. Alternatively, the supervisors may send a 30-day notice letter and remove the name from the checklist if the voter does not respond.
Information for People with Felony Convictions
Voting rights restored automatically after release from prison
For more information, go to the New Hampshire Secretary of State's website, or click here to download a New Hampshire Election Protection Manual created by the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law and its pro bono law firm partners.
