How to Vote in New Hampshire's 2024 Elections

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• Last day to request an absentee ballot: Monday, Nov. 4, noon 
• Deadline to return an absentee ballot: Monday, Nov. 4 (in person); Tuesday, Nov. 5 (by mail).
• Last day to register to vote: Tuesday, Nov. 5
• Election Day: Tuesday, Nov. 5

• Voter registration: Visit app.sos.nh.gov to check your voter registration information and find your town or city clerk’s contact information.

• Absentee voting: Available to those who can’t vote in person on Election Day because of a disability or illness, work or other acceptable reason.

• Early voting: New Hampshire doesn’t offer formal early in-person voting. But if you qualify for an absentee ballot, you can cast one early at your city or town clerk’s office.

• Voting at the polls: Polls are open from at least 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., though hours may vary among polling places. Bring an acceptable form of photo ID, such as your driver’s license or U.S. passport.

In July 2024, lawmakers passed a rule requiring more frequent updates to voter lists. Election officials must meet every 90 days to review voter lists for accuracy and update them. Estate executors must provide an official death notice to the town or city clerk after the death of a voter, within 30 days of being appointed executor.

Laws that took effect in 2023 may change how you vote in the 2024 elections:

• The deadline for mailed absentee ballot requests is noon the day before an election. Previously, it was 5 p.m.
  
• Voters must mail a copy of their ID within seven days of registering if they’re doing so for the first time on Election Day and do not show their ID at the polls. These voters will receive affidavit ballots that will be counted on Election Day but will be removed if ID is not received by the deadline.
  

Register by mail, in person or online:

• Online: New Hampshire offers online voter registration if a disability, such as blindness, prevents you from filling out a form by hand. Call your city or town clerk to request an accessible online absentee registration form and for information about local deadlines.

• By mail: Registration by mail is available if you have an approved reason for not doing so in person, such as a religious observance or disability. If you qualify, call your city or town clerk to request a voter registration form. Include a copy of your driver’s license or other valid form of ID when returning your application. You will need a witness to sign your absentee-voter registration affidavit. Check with your city or town clerk for local deadlines.

• In person: Fill out a voter registration form at your city or town clerk’s office. You’ll need to show various forms of ID proving your name, age, citizenship status and where you live, such as a driver’s license and U.S. passport. A full list of acceptable IDs is available on the secretary of state’s website. 
  

You can register to vote at your polling place on Election Day. You will be asked to show proof of your identity, age, citizenship status and residence. If you do not provide your ID at the polls and it’s your first time registering, you will receive an affidavit ballot and must submit a photocopy of your ID within seven days.

You can check your voter registration status using the state’s voter information tool.

You can vote absentee only for approved reasons, such as a disability or work commitment.

• Online: Only voters who are unable to fill out a printed form due to a disability, such as blindness, may request an accessible absentee ballot online. If you qualify, you may receive and mark the ballot electronically and may return it to your city or town clerk by mail, in person or by having someone drop it off for you. If someone drops it off for you, they must sign a statement on the affidavit envelope. Contact your city or town clerk for more information.

• By mail: Print an application from the secretary of state’s website, then complete and mail it to your city or town clerk’s office. You can also call your city or town clerk to request a mailed application. Absentee ballot requests must be received by noon the day before an election — that’s Monday, Nov. 4. But you’re encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

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• In person: Go to your city or town clerk’s office to apply for a ballot, or print an application from the secretary of state’s website and bring it with you. You can request a mail ballot until 5 p.m. the day before an election.
  

Place your completed ballot in the inner envelope and sign the affidavit on the outside. If you have a disability and received assistance, the person who helped you must sign an acknowledgment that appears on the absentee-ballot application and on the affidavit. Seal the inner envelope before placing it in the outer mailing envelope. If you’re including absentee-voter registration forms and proof that you qualify, place those documents in the outer envelope before you seal it.

• By mail: Send your ballot to your city or town clerk with proper postage. It must be received by 5 p.m. on Election Day.

• In person: Hand-deliver your ballot to your city or town clerk by 5 p.m. the day before an election — that’s Monday, Nov. 4. 

On Election Day, absentee ballots will be accepted only by mail or from a delivery agent, such as an immediate family member, until 5 p.m. Your delivery agent may be asked to show ID and fill out paperwork to deliver your ballot.

Track your absentee ballot through the state’s voter information portal.

If you qualify for an absentee ballot, you can cast an in-person absentee ballot at your city or town clerk’s office.

Polls will be open from at least 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Extended hours vary by location, so check your polling place or contact your city or town clerk. As long as you’re in line before the polls close, you may cast a ballot. 

Sample ballots are available at the secretary of state’s website.

Bring an acceptable form of photo ID, such as your state driver’s license or U.S. passport, to vote on Election Day. Those without ID can sign an affidavit, have their photo taken and proceed to vote.

Each polling place is equipped with an accessible system and voting booth for voters with disabilities. Find more information at the secretary of state’s website.

Voters who need assistance filling in their ballot can receive help from either an election official or someone they choose, as long as that person is not an employer or union official.

You can request to have an absentee ballot and affidavit envelope delivered to your vehicle outside the polling place if you can’t enter because of a disability. Once you’ve completed the affidavit and ballot, an election official will bring them back into the polling place.

Residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities qualify to vote via absentee ballot, under the physical disability or illness excuse.

Editor’s note: This guide was originally published on Jan. 22, 2024, and has been updated with new information about voting in the 2024 elections.

Michelle Tuccitto Sullo is a contributing writer covering state and federal policy. She previously served as managing editor of the Hartford Business Journal in Connecticut and has worked for the New Haven Register, Connecticut Law Tribune and New Haven Biz.

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