Absentee voting by mail can proceed as usual in New Hampshire and across the country, after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s plan to enact stricter requirements on mail voting nationwide earlier this week.
In New Hampshire, you can only vote by mail if you vote by absentee ballot, and you can only do that if you meet certain criteria. Unlike some other states, New Hampshire does not allow “no-excuse” mail-in voting.
Here’s an overview of how to vote absentee in this year’s election in New Hampshire.
Who can vote by absentee ballot in NH?
If you’re an eligible voter, you can choose an absentee ballot if you can’t vote in person under these conditions spelled out in state law:
- You will be out of town on election day;
- You have a religious observance that prevents you from voting in person;
- You have a physical disability or illness;
- You have an employment commitment or must care for an adult or child when the polls are open;
- You are confined to a penal institution for a conviction of a misdemeanor, or while awaiting trial;
- You are protected by a Domestic Violence Protective Order or you are a member of the Attorney General’s Address Confidentiality Program;
- The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard, or ice storm warning and you have concerns about safely traveling in the storm.
How do you ask for an absentee ballot?
It depends on whether you’re already registered to vote in New Hampshire. If you’re not yet registered, you need to do that first — then you can complete the steps below.
Once you’re registered to vote, you’ll need to complete an absentee ballot application and return it to your town or city clerk with required proof of identity. You can get an application from your clerk. You can also download one here and print it out. Look up your local clerk here.
The deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail is noon the day before Election Day — that’s Nov. 3 this year. The deadline to request and return an absentee ballot in person is 5 p.m. the day before Election Day.
Absentee ballots delivered through the mail or by the voter’s delivery agent must be received by the town, city, or ward clerk no later than 5 p.m. on Election Day.
What documents do I need to register absentee?
When requesting an absentee ballot, you must show a photo identification as part of the required documentation: That includes proof of age, citizenship, identity, and domicile. A new state law passed in 2025 brings the process of absentee voting in parallel with in-person voting requirements. Learn more about registering to vote in New Hampshire.
You need to request an absentee voter registration affidavit and voter registration form from your town or city clerk. Then, both the affidavit and voter registration form — along with voter qualifications — need to be mailed back or delivered in person to your clerk.
How do I get the actual absentee ballot?
When your local clerk receives your application and verifies your request, they will deliver or mail you the appropriate ballot.
It will come with absentee ballot marking and mailing instructions, including how to place your marked ballot inside an envelope to mail it back to your town or city clerk, with necessary signature and address printed outside the affidavit envelope. Don’t forget postage! (A voter can deliver their completed absentee ballot and affidavit in person to their clerk.)
Whatever you do, don’t delay
The U.S. Postal Service recommends putting your completed absentee ballot in the mail at least one week before Election Day. “If you rely on receiving and returning your absentee ballot by mail, you should request your ballot more than two weeks before Election Day,” according to the Secretary of State’s office.
Time is of the essence for local election officials, too. Sept. 19 is the last day for city or town clerks to mail or email absentee ballots to overseas citizens and members of the military who have requested ballots under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act.
On Monday, Nov. 2, the day before Election Day, state law requires that the town or city clerk “must be available to accept any completed absentee ballots filed in person, or delivered by an absentee voter’s delivery agent between 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.” (RSA 657:15,I)
After all this, how do I know my absentee ballot has been counted?
OK, so you’ve voted by absentee ballot. The New Hampshire Secretary of State maintains a voter information lookup, which includes your absentee ballot status. This lookup asks for your town or city, your first and last name, and your date of birth. The search results will show party registration, polling place, clerk’s information, and absentee ballot information.
The state’s website’s information, per state law, may include whether the absentee ballot request has been received, whether the absentee ballot’s been sent, and whether the envelope with your absentee ballot has been received by the clerk. It may also determine whether the absentee ballot was challenged or rejected by the moderator on Election Day, including the reason for the challenge.
How many voters cast absentee ballots?
In New Hampshire’s last general election, two years ago, there were 99,524 absentee ballots cast, or about 12% of the total number of ballots.
In the 2022 midterm election, 58,655 absentee ballots were cast. A record number of absentee ballots were cast in the pandemic-era election of 2020, when 32% of the ballots cast statewide came from absentee voters.
What questions do you have about this year's elections? Let us know, and we could help you get the answers.
