What Information Do You Need to Register to Vote?
When you register to vote, the city clerk will ask you to show proof of your identity, age, and domicile.
Some of the acceptable forms of voter ID include the following:
- Driver’s license
- State ID card for voting purposes issued by the New Hampshire DMV
- Armed Services ID card
- Birth certificate
- U.S. Passport
You must also prove your age. You can do so by presenting any of the following documents:
- Driver’s license
- Birth certificate
- Passport
- Qualified voter affidavit
To prove citizenship, you can use the following:
- U.S. Passport
- Birth certificate
- Naturalization paperwork
- Qualified voter affidavit
To prove residency/domicile, you can provide one of the following:
- NH driver’s license or non-driver’s license identification card
- NH vehicle registration
- Military ID
- Sworn statement of domicile
- Photo ID from the US Government with address listed
- Lease agreement or rent receipt that has a date
- Written statement from someone else listed on your rental agreement who can attest that you live there
- Written document listing on-campus housing address where you registered to vote or a note from a school official, resident assistant, or dorm supervisor
- Dated utility bill
- Property tax bill
- Hunting or fishing license
- Mortgage or deed
- State or federal tax form
- Letter from homeless shelter where you can get mail
If you register to vote in the 30 days preceding an election and do not bring the required documents to the polls, you can submit a sworn statement that you will provide those documents within a set amount of time.
Registration for Military and Overseas Voters
The Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP) allows you to complete a voter registration and file an absentee ballot request. You can also access the Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot from the FVAP website.
Registration for Survivors of Domestic Violence
New Hampshire law allows domestic violence victims to apply for and use the Address Confidentiality Program to keep their name, address, and contact information from appearing in publicly available records. The Supervisors of the Checklist state that this is effective if an order of protection is on file.
The New Hampshire Department of Justice says that having a restraining order, criminal charges pending, or even reporting the abuse to law enforcement are not required to participate in the ACP.
Registration for Homeless or Impermanent Voters
Voting without a permanent address can be challenging. But no state requires you to have a fixed home address in order to vote.
When you complete the voter registration form, you can use the address of:
- Your local shelter or other social service program
- A local church or other religious institution
- A friend or family member (who is willing to receive mail for you)
You can also use a form called “Homeless Confirmation of Domicile,” which is signed by someone at a shelter or other facility to confirm your registration.
What Do I Need to Bring to the Polls in New Hampshire?
If you are already registered to vote, you generally need only an acceptable photo ID to vote in person. If you are registering at the polls, you must also prove or attest to your identity, age, citizenship, and domicile.
If you do not have a valid ID, you can sign a “Challenged Voter Affidavit” swearing that you are a U.S. citizen. Election officials will take your photo and attach it to the affidavit. If you have religious objections to having your photo taken, you can sign an affidavit of religious exemption.
How to Check Your Voter Registration Status
You can check your voter registration status through the Voter Information Lookup online tool provided by the New Hampshire Department of State.
You are not automatically registered to vote because you completed a voter registration application. The Supervisors of the Checklist must still verify the information on your application. They will contact you when they approve your voter registration application or if they need more information.
When Is New Hampshire’s Voter Registration Deadline?
Some states have a strict deadline for voter registration. If you fail to register before an upcoming election, you may not be able to cast your ballot.
In New Hampshire, you can register to vote at your polling place on Election Day.
The latest date to register before Election Day is at the “Supervisors of the Checklist” meeting held six to 13 days before each state election. Check your town or city website for the time and location of the Supervisors’ meeting.
Requesting an Absentee Ballot in New Hampshire
You must have a valid reason to apply for an absentee ballot in New Hampshire.
The following are allowable reasons to vote with an absentee ballot:
- Religious observance
- Physical disability or illness
- Survivor of domestic violence or a person with an active protective order who is participating in the Attorney General’s “Address Confidentiality Program.”
- Absence from the area of your polling place during polling hours. This includes out-of-town or overseas business or military service. These voters may use the FVAP website to request an absentee ballot
- Employment obligations that make it difficult to reach the polls include emergency service providers, caretakers of children, and infirm adults
You should request an absentee voter registration form and affidavit from your town or city clerk’s office. You must complete the affidavit and have someone witness it before you return it to the clerk’s office. You should also include copies of documents showing evidence of your qualifications for absentee voting.
New Hampshire takes weather events into account. If the National Weather Service issues a winter weather, blizzard, or ice storm warning for Election Day, elderly, infirm, and disabled people who might have voted in person can request to vote by absentee ballot if they fear for their safety.
If school, childcare, or elder care facilities are canceled due to the storm, the caretaker voter may request to vote by absentee ballot. A ballot will be available at the City Clerk’s office, and you can vote in such an instance the day before Election Day by 5 p.m.
Voting Rights in New Hampshire
All eligible voters in New Hampshire have certain voting rights. Many of these rights exist in other states. However, each state has the right to provide additional rights to its citizens.
Some of the important voting rights in the State of New Hampshire include:
- The right to vote in private
- The right to register to vote on Election Day
- The right to cast your ballot even if you forgot your ID
- The right to have a new ballot if you make a mistake
- The right to stay in line and vote even after the polling place closes
- The right to be free from intimidation and harassment
- The right to assistance and accessible voting systems (if you are disabled)
If someone violates these rights, you should report it to a poll worker or supervisor immediately. In some cases, you may also wish to consult a New Hampshire civil rights attorney about your options.
Special Accommodations Available in New Hampshire
The New Hampshire Attorney General enforces election laws, including the requirements for accessible voting. Polling places should have:
- A van-accessible parking space and other available handicapped parking if there is a parking lot
- A reasonably smooth route from the accessible parking spaces to an accessible building entrance that is marked and able to accommodate a wheelchair
- A ramp or elevator, if needed
- An accessible voting booth with a shelf or table
- Tabletop voting screens, which allow a voter to sit at a table and mark a ballot
At a state election with a federal office on the ballot, election officials should equip polling places with an accessible voting system. They should attach a tablet computer to a printer, allowing voters to produce a marked ballot using audio or an enhanced visual interface.
A voter who needs assistance marking their ballot can ask an election official for help or bring someone with them to the polls.
If you cannot enter the polling place due to disability, you can request an absentee ballot.
What If You See Illegal Activity at the Polls?
Federal law protects voters at polling locations from voter intimidation, harassment, and other barriers to voting. New Hampshire laws restrict political signage and speech inside and outside the polling place. New Hampshire also prohibits electioneering within 100 feet of the entrance to the room where voting occurs, and the polling place moderator marks that 100-foot zone.
In 2015, New Hampshire lawmakers enacted enacted a law banning people from wearing campaign material while inside the polling places. This includes such items as pins, stickers, and articles of clothing. However, election officials cannot force a person to leave before they cast their vote.
Instead of demanding that a voter leave, election workers will ask them to remove or cover up the prohibited items. If they refuse to do so, the polling place Moderator can report them to the Attorney General’s office.
In addition to prohibiting illegal political clothing and paraphernalia, both New Hampshire state law and federal law prohibit fraudulent election activities that can harm the integrity of the voting process.
Specifically, federal law prohibits the following behavior:
- Buying and selling votes
- Altering votes
- Marking ballots for voters in a way other than how they instructed
- Voting by another name
- Voting at more than one location
If you happen to witness illegal activity at the polling place, report it to one of the poll workers immediately. You can also file a complaint with your town, city clerk, or:
You can also report voting law violations to the U.S. Department of Justice. If you feel your voting rights have been violated, you can contact a New Hampshire attorney with experience in voting law.
Contact a New Hampshire Civil Rights Lawyer if Someone Has Violated Your Voting Rights
If you’re a first-time voter or are new to New Hampshire, meeting with a lawyer can help you understand your options and how to best protect your rights. If you feel like your voting rights were violated, consider consulting with a civil rights attorney.
POLLING PLACE FINDER
