Voter registration in the Granite State

Tuesday, September 25 was National Voter Registration Day. Any citizen age eighteen or older who is living in New Hampshire may register to vote with the town clerk where he or she lives at any time up to ten days before the election – or they can also register at the polls on Election Day.

Unlike in many states, New Hampshire does not automatically register voters at the DMV.

What are the voter registration requirements?

A new voter must show proof that he or she lives in town. That proof can be any of the following, so long as it shows your name and home address:

• A government issued identification, such as a driver's license or non-driver photo ID
• For students, a document issued by the school you attend, such as a note signed by a Resident Assistant
• A lease, note from a property manager, or similar rental document
• A deed
• Any tax bill or form
• A car registration
• A document showing that you enrolled a dependent minor child in a public school in the voting district
• Any official form from the U.S. Post Office
• A utility bill, such as an electric bill
• A note from a homeless shelter or other service provider that confirms they will receive U.S. mail sent to you at that address

A town clerk may accept some other official document that shows your name and home address. If you are unsure if a document is adequate, call and check with your town clerk.

Voters registering within thirty days of an election, or on election day, will also need to present evidence that they are not in New Hampshire only for temporary reasons. This could include a New Hampshire driver's license or car registration, or a child's school enrollment. 

A voter registering on election day can register even without this proof, but must fill out an affadavit swearing to their eligibility to vote.

New Hampshire law currently states that those who lack the necessary evidence of their intent to stay in the Granite State when they register to vote will need to mail or present it to their town clerk within 10 days of the election (or 30 days in towns where the clerk's office only has part-time hours) or face investigation by the New Hampshire secretary of state or local police. However, one of New Hampshire's superior courts has put an injunction on that law, blocking it from taking effect starting the day after the election. It's unclear what that injunction means for the enforcement of these after-election-day rules. 

Still have questions? Visit our voter FAQ page

Stricter voter registration laws on the horizon

In 2017, SB 3 was signed into law. The bill created stricter requirements for proving your domicile in New Hampshire for voting purposes, primarily for voters registering within 30 days of an election or on election day. Voters who lacked the necessary documents to prove not just that they lived in the state, but intended to stay here long-term, would still be allowed to register but would have to present the necessary evidence within a certain timeframe after the election or risk investigation and possible fines. The law was challenged in court, and an injunction was issued blocking any aspect of it from being implemented. It'll stay on the books but unenforced until a final ruling in the court case is issued. 

In 2018 Gov. Chris Sununu signed a bill which requires that everyone registering to vote follow residency laws. For the average voter, that means registering his or her car in town and getting a driver's license in New Hampshire instead of any other state.

Prior to that bill, voters could live in New Hampshire but still claim an out-of-state address as their legal residence for tax purposes, car registration, etc. The bill will have a particular impact on out-of-state college students, who often keep their legal residences in their home state. Now those out-of-state college students must pay to register any car in New Hampshire if they wish to vote in the Granite State.

Click here to learn more about the debate over out-of-state students voting in New Hampshire

The new restrictions do not go into effect until 2019.

Click here to learn more about the debate around voter residency restrictions

Other voter requirements

Even after registering, a voter must present photo ID at the polls or return a form to the Secretary of State after voting.

Click here to learn more about the voter ID law in New Hampshire

Do you have an opinion on voter registration in New Hampshire? Share your thoughts in the comments below.