New Hampshire on Offense: The Path Forward to Strengthen Our Elections
New Hampshire follows a rigorous system of checks and balances that ensures every election is free, fair, and secure. In recent years, however, we’ve seen bad actors exploit weaknesses in state law — fueling misinformation, legal battles, and spurious attempts to overturn the will of the voters.
This fact sheet outlines three commonsense policy solutions that New Hampshire lawmakers and election administrators can consider to close those gaps — before and after Election Day.* For a deeper dive into the national context and proven solutions, see our full report, “States on Offense: The Path Forward to Strengthen Our Elections.” For more information, please contact us here.
Three Fixes for Stronger New Hampshire Elections
- Ensure that no eligible voter is turned away by providing clear and accessible information on the documentation required to prove citizenship when registering to vote.
- Protect the freedom to vote by creating opportunities for voters to cast their ballots in person before Election Day.
- Modernize voter registration and help keep voter lists accurate by expanding electronic voter registration to all eligible voters.
| New Hampshire Elections By the Numbers |
|---|
| Registered Voters: 972,515 Voter Turnout (Registered Voters %): 2022 [69%] 2024 [82%] |
| Voting Methods (Election Day/Early In-Person/Mail %): 2022: 91%/9%; 2024: 88%/11% |
| Recent Attempts to Exploit Election Vulnerabilities: Eligible Voters Turned Away During Town Elections Due to New Proof of Citizenship Requirements Obstacles to Registration, ID, and Mail Voting Disproportionately Impact Students, Voters with Disabilities |
Fix #1: Clarify Proof of Citizenship Requirements
Lawmakers can clearly define the list of acceptable documents and provide voters with straightforward instructions, ensuring that every eligible voter can cast a ballot. New Hampshire recently passed a law requiring voters to show documents proving U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Just as in other states that have imposed similar requirements, dozens of eligible voters have been turned away simply because they did not have the proper paperwork on hand. With higher-turnout federal elections scheduled for 2026 and 2028, voters need clear instructions on what documents are required and how to provide them.
Fix #2: Provide Opportunities for Voting Before Election Day
Lawmakers can create in-person early voting options (like those voters enjoy in nearly every other state) to increase flexibility, maintain security, and ensure accurate reporting of unofficial results soon after polls close on Election Night. New Hampshire is one of only three states that do not give eligible voters an option to vote securely in person before Election Day. In-person early voting gives eligible voters greater flexibility, provides the same level of security as Election Day voting, and reduces wait times and frustration at Election Day polling locations. Early votes can be quickly tabulated once polls close, minimizing any delays in reporting unofficial results that might diminish voter confidence.
Fix #3: Modernize Voter Registration and Keep Voter Rolls Up to Date
New Hampshire lawmakers can adopt an electronic voter registration system, modeled on the success of more than a decade in other states. New Hampshire is one of only seven states without an electronic voter registration system for all eligible voters. In other states, voters use these secure and convenient systems to register and update their information, while election officials rely on this information to maintain accurate voter rolls.
*This resource is strictly nonpartisan and for educational use only. It is 501(c)(3) compliant and not intended for any partisan, political, or electioneering activities.