This information is for the November 3rd general election. For information on the September 8, 2020 state primary, check with the New Hampshire election office. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2020. New Hampshire offers absentee ballots by mail to voters who will be unable to vote in person. All other voters are expected to vote in person.
Vote in person
Vote on Election Day
Voters registered in New Hampshire can look up where to vote on New Hampshire’s site.
No early voting
New Hampshire does not offer an early voting period. If you will be unable to vote in person on Election Day, you can request an absentee ballot by mail or by visiting your local election office.
What to bring
- You will be requested to show photo ID to vote in New Hampshire. If you do not have a photo ID, you can prove your identity, age, and/or citizenship, by signing a Qualified Voter Affidavit, under oath, in front of an authorized election official. New Hampshire law only allows a Moderator, clerk of a town/ward/city, or Supervisor of the Checklist to verify identity. Acceptable forms of ID include (the name on the ID must be substantially similar to the voter registration record and the expiration date cannot exceed five years, except that a voter 65 years of age or older may use an otherwise qualified form of identification without regard to expiration date): a driver’s license from any state; a non-driver’s ID issued by the motor vehicle agency of any state; a photo ID card for “voting identification only” issued by NH DMV; a US armed services ID card; a student ID from an accredited college, university, or career school in New Hampshire, a New Hampshire public high school, an accredited private high school in New Hampshire, Dartmouth College, and any college or university operated by the university or community college systems of New Hampshire; or a US passport or passcard.
- If you are registering to vote at the polls on election day, you will also need to provide evidence, in paper or electronic form, establishing identity, age, citizenship and domicile. An applicant who does not possess or did not bring evidence with them can fulfill this requirement with an affidavit(s). Election officials at the polling place will have the affidavits and can answer any questions regarding completing the affidavits. For proof of citizenship, you can show a birth certificate, US passport or passcard, or naturalization documents, or you can sign an affidavit. You cannot use your New Hampshire driver’s license as proof of citizenship. For proof of domicile, you must show an official document that includes your name and address. Acceptable documents include: a driver’s license or non-driver’s ID, a document from your school, a note signed by a school official or RA, a residential lease, a deed or property tax bill, a motor vehicle registration, a voter photo ID, a public school enrollment, a tax form or other official government form, a form from the US Postal Service (your address cannot be a PO Box), a utility bill, a note from a homeless shelter that confirms they will receive mail sent to you at their address, or a note from the person who owns or supervises the property where you live (applicants in this circumstance may be directed to complete a domicile affidavit). Find more information about registering in New Hampshire here.
- Voters without ID: If you are unable to provide ID, you can either have your identity verified by a voting official at your voting location, or sign an affidavit and be photographed by a voting official at your voting location before you vote (if you object to being photographed for religious reasons, you can sign an additional affidavit of religious exemption instead). New Hampshire law only allows a Moderator, Clerk, or Supervisor of the Checklist to verify identity. If you are registering to vote on election day and do not have a proof of domicile, you can sign an affidavit.
Who can vote
To register in New Hampshire you must:
- be a resident
- be 18 years of age or older on the day of the next election
- be a United States citizen
- find more information on voting rights restoration here
There is no minimum period of time you are required to have lived in the state before being allowed to register. You may register as soon as you move into your new community.
Vote by mail
- Review the absentee ballot application and confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements for voting absentee.
- Fill out the application completely.
- Submit the request to your local election office. You should request your ballot as far in advance of the election as possible. The deadline to request a ballot by mail is (received by) Monday, November 2, 2020.
- When your ballot arrives, read it carefully and follow the instructions to complete it and return it.