New Hampshire Voting 101


Registering to Vote, and Voting:

Registering to vote in New Hampshire is simple. If you are 18 years of age or older and are not currently registered to vote in your town of domicile, you may simply go to your designated polling place and register on the date of the election.

To register, you will be asked to show:

For proof of domicile, bring something like a recent electric bill, or an item of postal mail, which shows your name and address. If you live in the dorms, bring your college ID (in addition to a state-issued form of ID such as driver's license or passport) and something official addressed to your college post office box. If you have any questions about what may be required, contact your local election office (see below).

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. If you prefer to register early, you can complete the standard application form up to 10 days before the election at your town clerk's office: http://www.state.nh.us/sos/clerks.htm

On election day, simply go to your polling place. http://www.state.nh.us/sos/polling.htm Depending on your "ward," you will be required to register/vote at a particular poll. If you do not know which ward you are in, see below, or call your town election office. http://www.state.nh.us/sos/clerks.htm

Students attending college in New Hampshire are encouraged to exercise their right to vote. You will be asked to show proof of age and residency to the town or city clerk. You may be asked to show proof of citizenship, or to sign a citizenship affidavit, which the clerks have available. You may register to vote up to 10 days prior to an election, or on election day at your polling place.

When registering to vote, you may register as an undeclared voter or as a member of a political party. All registered voters are allowed to vote in a general election, but only party members can vote in a primary election. If you voted on a party ballot in the 2000 state primary, or the 2000 presidential primary, be aware of your party status before a primary election. Unless you have updated your registration since, you are now a registered member of that party. Your town or city clerk will have the records of party membership if you are uncertain of your status. If you are a party member and wish to change your registration status, keep in mind the following:

Your local election office should be able to give you information about how to register to vote, where your polling place is, the district you reside in, and who the candidates are. http://www.state.nh.us/sos/clerks.htm


Some common questions/concerns/misconceptions:

Every time someone registers to vote, they get called for jury duty.

If you're worried about being called for jury duty as a result of registering to vote, think again. Under the law, anyone with a driver's license is as likely to be called for jury duty as someone who is registered to vote. Registering to vote does not raise the chances that you will be called for jury duty. CHECK THIS in NH

I am a student attending school in New Hampshire. Is it bad if I declare New Hampshire residency in order to vote here?

No, but there are those who would like you to believe so. Please read this article, "Student Voters Stalled": http://www.vnews.com/11062002/745159.htm

Excerpts from that article (originally printed in The Valley News, November 6, 2002, by Omar Sacirbey, Valley News Staff Writer):

Hanover -- Republican challenges to the voting eligibility of hundreds of Dartmouth students caused long delays in voting yesterday and angered students and non-students alike, even causing some to direct their votes away from the GOP...[t]he challenge effort was spearheaded by Edward Naile, head of the Coalition of New Hampshire Taxpayers, who said the state GOP had appointed him as a poll-watcher. He argued that many students at Dartmouth and other New Hampshire colleges had been recruited by the state's Democratic Party to vote in this election, even though they were not truly New Hampshire residents. He said he was especially concerned about the high number of students who took advantage of the state law that allows people to register on Election Day...Democrats accused Naile of voter intimidation. "The local Republicans should be embarrassed that they let this happen on their turf," said Democrat Sharon Nordgren, deputy speaker of the House, who was campaigning in front of the high school...[t]o vote in New Hampshire, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, and must live in the state. Naile argued that students with licenses from other states are not legal New Hampshire residents. [Assistant attorney general] Bud Fitch, though, said that isn't necessarily true. The Department of Motor Vehicles requires that people replace out-of-state licenses with New Hampshire licenses within 60 days of declaring residency. Not doing that doesn't mean a person is not a state resident, or disqualify them from voting, Fitch said. It just means he or she has run afoul of a state regulation.

I still have questions, who do I talk to?

Here's some contact information for some local towns.. if your town is not listed here, please visit http://www.state.nh.us/sos/clerks.htm

ENFIELD: ILENE REED, PO BOX 373, ENFIELD 03748 603-632-5001 FAX:632-5182

HANOVER: SALLIE B. JOHNSON, PO BOX 483, HANOVER 03755 603-643-0704 FAX:643-1720

LEBANON: DOROTHY DOYLE,	51 NORTH PARK ST, LEBANON 03766	603-448-3054 FAX:448-4891

LYME: PATRICIA JENKS, PO BOX 342, LYME 03768, 603-795-2535 FAX:795-4637

Where and when do I vote?

Here are some local polling places. If your town is not listed here, please visit http://www.state.nh.us/sos/polling.htm

Enfield - Whitney Hall, 23 Main Street, 8:00am - 7:00pm

Hanover - Richmond School Gym, Lebanon Street, Hanover, 7:00am - 7:00pm

Lebanon  	   	 
	Ward 1 	Mt. Lebanon School, 5 White Avenue, West Lebanon, 8:00am - 7:00pm
	Ward 2 	Sacred Heart Church, 2 Hough Street, Lebanon, same as above
	Ward 3 	Knights of Columbus Hall, 57 Hanover Street, same as above

Lyme - Lyme Community School, address unknown, 7:00am - 7:00pm

If you live in Lebanon and you want to know which ward you're in, call the clerk (listed above), or view this ward map: http://lebanonnh.virtualtownhall.net/public_documents/LebanonNH_Clerk/000CB87D-000F8513.-1/Lebanon%20Ward%20Map.pdf If you live in a different town with multiple wards, go to google.com and search for "name-of-your-town voting ward".

"Election Day" falls on the Tuesday following the first Monday of November. It refers to the day when federal or national "general" elections are held and voters choose among candidates from different parties. Presidential elections are held on this day.

VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES:

Political calendar: http://www.state.nh.us/sos/calendar.htm

I'm not old enough to vote. Can I still get involved?

Definitely. In Hew Hampshire, contact Secretary of State William Gardner, (603) 271-3242, to find out how you can serve as an election worker. New Hampshire IS one of the eighteen U.S. states that allow under-18-year-olds to do this. The duties of an election worker actually vary from state to state. But election workers typically help people check-in before voting, instruct voters on how to use equipment, answer voter questions, and help tally the votes after the polls close.

You could also get involved with local volunteer/activist groups. If there's a candidate you like, odds are that he/she's got a website. From there you should be able to find out who to talk to in order to volunteer with that candidate's campaign in your community.

More information: