How to Register to Vote in NH:

You are required to present proof of identity, age, citizenship and domicile to register to vote. If you do NOT have documentation proving one or more of these things, you may sign an official form (affidavit). See what qualifies as proof HERE. Note - for the time being a NH Real ID does not qualify as proof of citizenship. 

You can Register to Vote:

• At the town/city clerk’s office up to 6-13 days before an election
• With your local Supervisors of the Checklist, who are required to meet at designated times to accept registrations and changes to party affiliation. These meetings are posted in the town office and other public places.
• At the polling place on election day**
• By absentee (ask your clerk for a registration form when you ask for the absentee ballot request form)

Full guidance from the Secretary of State: https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/information/faqs/how-register-vote

**Starting Jan 1, 2023, SB418 goes into effect, which states:

I. For all elections, if a voter on election day is registering to vote for the first time in New Hampshire and does not have a valid photo identification establishing such voter's identification, or does not meet the identity requirements of RSA 659:13, then such voter shall vote by affidavit ballot pursuant to this section.

To avoid having to go through the new process of casting an affidavit ballot, it is imperative that you bring photo identification to the polls, both to register to vote AND to vote. See next section for the kinds of photo identification accepted.

How to Vote In-Person in NH :

Call your town/city clerk for details on in-person voting, poll hours and polling location.

• Voters are required to present photo identification when voting in-person. Acceptable forms of photo ID: https://www.sos.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt561/files/documents/Posters/voter-id-explanatory-document-5-2022.pdf
• Polling location look up: https://app.sos.nh.gov/viphome

Accessible Voting Services Information: 

https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/voters/register-vote/absentee/accessible-voting

How to Vote by Absentee Ballot:

You can request an Absentee Ballot if any of the following would prevent you from going to the polls on election day:

• Disability
  • You may choose the Disability category if, based on your own health circumstances, medical authorities have advised you to avoid going out in public. This applies to: (1) voters with symptoms of a communicable disease or illness (including Covid-19); and (2) voters who, due to their own health circumstances, limit public exposure in their day-to-day life as a preventative measure.
• Absence from town/city 
• Religious observance
• Employment commitments (including caregiving)
• Confined in a penal institution for a misdemeanor or while awaiting trial.

Start the Process Early!

To vote Absentee, you must first request and fill out an Absentee Ballot Request form. If you want to vote in BOTH the Primary and General elections, you will need a request form for each. To get the request form(s):

• Call your town/city clerk to mail you the form*
• Download the form from your town/city clerk’s website
• Download the form from the NH Secretary of State’s website: https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/voters/absentee-ballots/request-absentee-ballot

*If you are not registered to vote, ask your town/city clerk to mail you both an Absentee Voter Registration form AND an Absentee Ballot Request form. You can also register to vote in-person, at your clerk’s office.

When Do I Get My Absentee Ballot?

Generally, you will get your ballot 3-4 weeks before the election, provided you request it early. Make sure to sign the affidavit envelope and return your ballot as soon as possible. 

UOCAVA - voters living outside the United States:

Voters living outside the United States may file a UOCAVA absentee ballot application:

https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/voters/uniformed-overseas

Multilingual Voting Information:

https://www.sos.nh.gov/multilingual-election-information

Where Do I Go if I Have Questions?

The town/city clerk is the best contact for voters with questions about polling hours and location. Although this portal is not always up to date, voters can look up their clerk information, party, and polling location here: https://app.sos.nh.gov/viphome