How to Register to Vote

By Liz Tentarelli and Sally Davis

The first in this Presidential Election year will be held in New Hampshire on Tuesday, Jan. 10. The League of Women Voters of New Hampshire urges every citizen at least 18-years-old to vote. For your polling place hours and locations, please call your city or town clerk. Republicans may vote in the Republican Primary, Democrats may vote in the Democratic Primary and undeclared voters (independents) may vote in either primary.
 
If you are already registered but can't make it to the polls on Election Day, you may use an absentee ballot to vote at the clerk's office up until 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9. If you plan to mail an absentee ballot, it must be received at the clerk's office by 5 p.m. on Election Day. If you are going to vote absentee, please contact your town clerk about obtaining and casting an absentee ballot. You are not required to have a photo ID to vote absentee. Your signature will be checked against your registration signature.
 
If you are not registered to vote yet, you may register at the polls on Election Day. The following information is based on information from the Attorney General's office, the Secretary of State's website, sos.nh.gov, and state law. If you have questions about your voting rights, you may contact the Secretary of State, 603-271-3242, the Attorney General, 603-271-3658, or the League, lwvnh.org.
 
New Hampshire doesn't have a length of residency requirement for voting. Nor does the state require a photo ID to vote. Even if you moved here recently, you may vote if this is the place where you are living now, not just vacationing or visiting. You may claim only one place as your home for voting purposes.
 
When you register, you will fill out a form giving your name, age, place of birth, local residence, previous voting address if you were registered to vote somewhere else, and a driver's license identification number or the last four digits of your social security number if you have one. You will be asked to read and sign a statement saying you understand voting fraud is a crime. You will also be asked for documents to confirm your identity, age and residence in the voting district.
 
There are several ways to prove your identity, age and residence. The easiest is to bring a current driver's license or non-driver photo ID, a current passport or current military photo ID to the polls with you. If you are a naturalized citizen, you should bring your naturalization papers if you have them. If not, you can sign a citizenship affidavit.
 
If you don't have a current government photo ID, there are other ways to meet the requirements. As a last resort, you can sign an affidavit saying you are who you say you are and you live where you say you live. Other common documents you can use to register include a student ID, employee ID, birth certificate, rental lease, tax bill, utility bill, bank statement or any other document that would reasonably establish your identity and local residence.
 
If you are qualified to be a voter in your voting district, you cannot be denied the right to vote. You should bring the best available documentation with you if you register on Election Day but you cannot be turned away or required to leave the polling place to get any documents on Election Day.
 
Once you have registered to vote, you will be directed to the Ballot Clerk to receive your ballot. The next time you vote, you can go straight to the Ballot Clerk and announce your name. The Ballot Clerk will ask you to confirm your address and then give you a ballot.
 
Our government, our society and our American way of life depend on the active participation of its citizens. The most important way to participate is to vote.
 
Liz Tentarelli and Sally Davis are co-presidents of The League of Women Voters of New Hampshire.