The dos and don’ts of absentee voting in New Hampshire

Are you planning to vote absentee this election? There are some things to keep in mind, and we break that all down here. 

First, to vote by absentee ballot, you need to meet one of these requirements:

• 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 that prevents you from voting in person. 
• You have an employment commitment or must care for an adult or child during the entire time polls are open. 
• You are confined in a penal institution for a conviction of a misdemeanor or while awaiting trial. 
• You are a member of the attorney general’s address confidentiality program or are protected by a domestic violence protective order.
• The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm, blizzard, or ice storm warning for your town/ ward for election day, and you have concerns about safely traveling in the storm.

Contact your local town clerk to request the paperwork. After that, you should use the voter information lookup tool to track your request, including when the absentee ballot was sent to you, and when the clerk received your completed absentee ballot. 

Completed absentee ballots must be returned to your local clerk by mail or in person. The deadline to deliver the ballot in person is 5 p.m. the day before the election.

If you’re not dropping it off in person, the postal service recommends putting your ballot in the mail at least seven days before the election, so get your ballot in the mail as soon as possible. Your ballot has to be delivered by mail by 5 p.m. on the day of the election in order to count. 

Here are some helpful tips for voting by mail:

Dos:

• Read instructions carefully: Follow all instructions provided with your absentee ballot. You can see the instructions here.
• Use the correct envelope: Place your completed ballot in the provided secrecy envelope, and then into the return envelope.
• Sign your ballot: Sign the return envelope as required. Your signature will be compared to the one on your voter registration to verify your identity.
• Track your ballot: Use the voter information lookup tool to make sure your ballot is accounted for. 

Don’ts: 

1. Don’t forget to sign: Failing to sign your ballot envelope can result in your ballot being rejected.
2. Don’t use incorrect ink. Use blue or black ink or a No.2 pencil to fill out your ballot. 
3. Don’t ignore  instructions: Skipping over instructions can lead to errors that may cause your ballot to be invalidated.
4. Don’t tamper with your ballot: Do not make any marks outside the designated areas, and do not tear or damage the ballot.
5. Don’t use photocopies: Always use the official ballot sent to you. Photocopies or reproductions are not accepted.
6. Don’t overvote: Voting for more candidates than allowed in a particular race will invalidate your vote for that race.
7. Don’t ignore signature verification: Make sure your signature on the ballot envelope matches the one on file with your voter registration.

Are you ready to vote? Make sure to check your voter registration status, see who’s on your ballot, and make a voting plan here.