Tomorrow, Tuesday September 10th, Granite Staters will have the opportunity to cast their ballots in this year’s state primary election. With contested primary elections for Governor, US Congress, Executive Council, state legislative, and county races, Tuesday’s primaries will have a significant impact on all levels of government over the next 2 years. As Granite Staters prepare to head to the polls, let’s take a look at some important reminders to prepare for this week’s elections and ensure you’re ready to vote:
Before Election Day: Preparing to Cast Your Vote
Ahead of election day, it’s important to check if you are registered to vote. Granite Staters can check their registration status online or by contacting their local town or city clerk. Remember, if you are not registered (or not registered at your current address), you can register at the polls on Election Day.
In order to be eligible to vote in New Hampshire, you need to be 18 years old, domiciled in New Hampshire, and a US Citizen. When you are registering, you will be asked to prove your identity, age, citizenship and domicile (physical address). When registering to vote, you should bring a photo ID.This can be an ID issued by any state, the federal government, or a NH high school, college or trade school.
Examples of acceptable forms of photo ID include:
Driver’s license or non-driver’s ID from any state
Passport
Military ID
NH school ID
Voter ID
The photo ID may be expired, as long as the expiration or issuance date is less than 5 years ago. If over 65, the expiration date is irrelevant.
If you don’t have or forget your ID, affidavits are available to prove most of these qualifications. But it’s important to remember, no eligible voter will be denied the right to vote for lacking documentation.
If not already registered, New Hampshire voters can also register at the polls, as New Hampshire has same-day voter registration. If opting to register for the first time in person on election day, a photo ID must be presented in order for your vote to count. If you don’t have an ID on election day, you will still be allowed to cast a ballot, but your ballot will not count unless you provide a copy of your photo ID to the NH Secretary of State’s Office within seven days.
Additionally, before heading out to vote on election day, be sure to confirm where your designated polling place is located. That information can be found here.
If looking for more information about the candidates on each party’s ballot, sample ballots can be found on the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s website.
On Election Day
Before heading out to the polls, check your local polling location’s hours of operation to plan your visit.
Once you arrive at your polling location, you’ll check in with the ballot clerk and show your photo ID. If you don’t have a photo ID, you’ll need to fill out an affidavit, and your photo will be taken.
If you’re already registered to vote, you’ll also state your name, address, and, during a primary, your party affiliation. The ballot clerk will then give you a blank ballot.
When in the voting booth, use the provided pen or pencil to completely fill in the ovals next to the names of your chosen candidates. Follow the instructions on the ballot carefully to ensure your vote is counted, and if you make a mistake, ask a poll worker for a new ballot.
After voting, you’ll place your ballot in the ballot-counting device (in larger cities/towns) or hand it to the moderator to place in the ballot box (in smaller towns).
If you need assistance voting, New Hampshire polling places are required to provide accessible voting options. Don’t hesitate to ask poll workers for help. Similarly, if you need help understanding the ballot, some polling places may provide ballots in multiple languages or offer translation services.
For more information about how to vote in New Hampshire and this year’s elections, check out the Granite Post’s New Hampshire Voter Guide.
Granite Post’s Voter Guide is Now Live!
For the last 9 months, the Granite Post has been delivering factual, relevant, pro-democracy, local news to New Hampshire. Just in time for the fall election season, Granite Post has launched their Voter Guide, which will provide information on how to register and to vote, as well as information on the candidates in key races across the state.
Please make sure you check out the Voter Guide before you head to the polls! And if you haven’t signed up for Granite Post newsletter, please sign-up here. They are also on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and TikTok.
Thank you,
Ryan Mahoney
Executive Director