New Hampshire Voting Requirements & Information

U.S. Vote Foundation’s New Hampshire Voting Requirements and Information directory informs you of New Hampshire voting rules and options. It focuses on New Hampshire-specific voting guidelines and information for all voters, including domestic, overseas, and military voters. Here you can find out about New Hampshire voter eligibility, voter ID requirements, registration, absentee and early voting options, ways to transmit voting documents and links to specific-New Hampshire voting tools. It's an all-in-one New Hampshire voting resource.

General Information

Registration

You can register to vote or update your registration information:

  • at your town or city clerk office
  • at the office of your local Supervisor of the Checklist
  • on Election Day at your polling place
  • by mail ONLY if absent or unable to visit clerk's office; affidavit required

Citizenship and Identification Requirements for Voter Registration

Voter registration requires you to provide documents to prove your identity, age, citizenship, and residence address. Documents are accepted in paper, photocopy, or electronic form.

Absentee (by-mail) voter registrants must provide proof of their U.S. citizenship, age, residence and identity.

If you are already registered to vote and approved in the NH centralized voter registration database, your citizenship and age do not need further approval, but you are required to provide documentation to prove your identity and residence.

Election Day Voting

Polling places are open from 7am to 7pm on Election Day.

Find my polling place

Early Voting

A voter may return an absentee ballot in person or by mail any time after ballots are available (about 30 days before the election), as long as the clerk receives it by 5pm on Election Day.

Absentee Voting

A registered voter may vote absentee provided they meet one of the following criteria:

  • You are absent on the day of the election from the place in which you are registered to vote
  • You have a religious observance, physical disability, or illness that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day
  • You have an employment commitment or must care for an adult or child during the entirety of the time that polls are open
  • You are in an area in which the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard, or ice storm warning and you have concerns about safely traveling in the storm

Additionally, an absentee voter is required to submit the following:

  • Proof of US citizenship
  • Proof of age
  • Proof of domicile and identity

Absentee ballots may be returned by a specified family member up to 5PM on Election Day:

  • Specified family members are limited to your spouse, siblings or child
  • An affidavit will be required
  • ID required

Please visit the US Vote Disability Voting Guide to see accommodations for the registration and voting process.

Eligibility Requirements

You are eligible to vote in New Hampshire if you:

  • Are a U.S. citizen
  • Are at least 18 years old by Election Day
  • Are domiciled in New Hampshire town or ward in which you seek to vote

You are NOT eligible to vote in New Hampshire if:

  • You are in prison or jail for a felony conviction.

Restorative Requirements

  • If you have completed a felony prison sentence, even if you are still on parole or probation, then you are immediately eligible to register to vote.

If you are a student, you are eligible to vote in New Hampshire if:

  • You reside in New Hampshire but are attending college in another state
  • You reside in another state but attend college in New Hampshire
  • You provide a valid photo student ID from a college/university in New Hampshire at the polls

Identification Requirements

Voter Registration

In order to complete your voter registration in New Hampshire and vote for the first time, you will need to prove your identity, age, domicile, and citizenship. Accepted IDs include:

  • Valid New Hampshire Vehicle Registration

  • Valid Student ID

  • Certificate of Vehicle Ownership

  • Valid ID Issued by Another State

  • Birth Certificate

  • Valid New Hampshire non-driver's ID

  • Valid US Passport

  • Valid New Hampshire issued ID

  • Valid Military ID

  • Valid New Hampshire Driver's License except one issued to an individual that is not a United States citizen

  • A signed, Challenged Voter Registration Affidavit

  • Valid Federal issued ID

Note: You may use any combination of one or more of these documents provided to establish proof of your identity, age, domicile and citizenship. Further, detailed information can be found in the NH Guidelines to Register to Vote

Voting In-Person

Accepted forms of ID include:

  • Valid New Hampshire Voter ID Card with Photo

  • Valid US Passport

  • Valid Military ID

  • Valid New Hampshire Driver's License

  • Valid New Hampshire Non-driver's ID

  • Valid Photo ID

  • Valid Student ID from State School

  • Federally issued Driver's License

The name on your voter id must match the name on your voter registration record.

Witness / Notarization Requirements

New Hampshire requires the absentee voter registration by mail affidavit to be witnessed. Both the affidavit and the voter registration form as well as proof of New Hampshire voter qualifications must be submitted to your town or city clerk.

A notarized signature on a the NH Absentee Ballot Application form will suffice for the required proof of identity when applying to vote absentee by mail.

Voter Materials Transmission Options

Domestic Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?

Eligibility Requirements

Overseas Voters

U.S. citizens living abroad have the right to vote as absentee voters, provided they are eligible to vote in their state. If you are living outside of the U.S. permanently, indefinitely, or temporarily, your voting rights stay with you, even if you never voted when you lived in the U.S. To vote from overseas:

  • Complete and send an overseas voter registration/ballot request form to your election office in the U.S. This is one specific form that will register you as an overseas voter and request your absentee ballot – simultaneously.

Many states allow children who were born overseas, but never lived in the U.S., to use their U.S. parents’ last residence address to register.

Military Voters

Service members and their eligible family members living outside their voting jurisdiction (within or outside the U.S.) are able to vote as absentee voters.

  • If you are a service member, or an eligible family member, there is a single form to file for both voter registration and ballot request. It is often called the “Federal Post Card Application” or the FPCA form. This form must be re-filed with your election office each time you change location.

To vote as a service member or eligible family member:

  • Complete and send a voter registration/ballot request form “FPCA” to your election office in the U.S. It is the same form in all states.

Identification Requirements

Voting Overseas

U.S. citizens living overseas may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form. You may include the following ID:

  • Your New Hampshire Driver's License Number

  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

  • Valid New Hampshire Voter ID Card

  • Your New Hampshire non-driver ID number

Voting Military

Service members and their dependents may register and request a ballot using the overseas voter registration/ballot request form ("FPCA"). You may include the following ID:

  • Your New Hampshire non-driver ID number

  • Your New Hampshire Driver's License Number

  • Last 4 Digits of your Social Security Number

  • Valid New Hampshire Voter ID Card

Voter Materials Transmission Options

Overseas Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

Military Voter

In-Person

Mail

Fax

Email

Online

Voter Registration
Absentee Ballot Request
Blank Ballot To Voter
Voted-Absentee Ballot Return

State Lookup Tools – Am I Registered?