Voters heading to the polls Tuesday for town elections must bring photo identification with them and, if they’re registering to vote for the first time, other documents as well.
People who are already registered to vote need to bring identification to receive a ballot, such as a driver’s license, U.S. passport, military ID, or a student ID. There is a bill in the state legislature that would end the use of school IDs for voting, but they are still valid for now.
New Hampshire allows same-day registration at the polls.
Anyone registering to vote for the first time in New Hampshire also needs to show proof they’re a U.S. citizen, along with proof of their age, identity and residency. Only a few documents prove that someone is a citizen, including a passport, birth certificate or naturalization papers.
An individual has to be at least 18 years old on election day, and show documentary proof that the town is their primary residence, to vote in an election.
New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan further outlines how to register to vote with a list of accepted documents. Here is more information on absentee ballots in New Hampshire.
For those who fail to bring proper documentation to the polls, local election workers should have access to state databases to help verify someone’s eligibility, assuming there is internet access. Local officials can look up birth, marriage, divorce and adoption records, as long as they were issued by the State of New Hampshire. Here is a link to the voter information lookup, which includes a search function for polling places.
While most towns are holding their local elections on March 10, Scanlan says residents should check with their town before heading to the polls, as some towns hold their elections in April or May.
