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Voting Information
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Upcoming Elections
- 2024 NH State Presidental Primary will be held on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 at the Hanover High School from 7am to 7pm. Absentee ballot request forms are available here, or at the Hanover Town Hall during business hours.
To be eligible to register and vote in Hanover, New Hampshire, a person must be (a) 18 years of age or older on Election Day; (b) a United States Citizen; and (c) domiciled in the Town of Hanover. A domicile for voting purposes is that one place where a person, more than any other place, has established a physical presence and manifests an intent to maintain a single and continuous presence for domestic, social, and civil purposes relevant to participating in democratic self-government.
- Additional General Information on Registering to Vote in New Hampshire (PDF)
- FAQ’s on Domicile/Residency questions available here (PDF)
- SOS Voter Pocket Guide
Where to Register
The voter registration process in New Hampshire is designed to place in person before a designated election official. New Hampshire currently does not allow for general voter registration by mail. Individuals may register to vote at the Town Office (41 South Main Street) Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Applications may be made at any time of the year (except ~7 days prior to any election). There may also be specially scheduled registration sessions leading up to major elections; these events will be posted on the Town website. You may also register same-day on Election Day - however, we encourage you to register early in order to avoid any unnecessary delays at the polling place.
What to Bring with You to Register
Ideally, the voter registrant presents documents that confirm identity, age, citizenship, and Hanover domicile address. A New Hampshire Driver's License with your current Hanover address will provide proof of identity, age, and residency. In the most streamlined of transactions, the registrant presents a U.S. passport which affirms the person's identity, age, and citizenship; and then also presents valid proof of Hanover residence (such as a signed lease, owning a Hanover property, a bill issued to you at your Hanover address for public utility service, a letter from the campus housing office). An affidavit is available to prove citizenship, identity, and age. Currently, we may also offer a separate Domicile Affidavit to attest to residency at a Hanover address. Any questions regarding the need for documentation can be directed to the Town Clerk's Office at 603-640-3200.
Party Affiliation
When registering to vote, the applicant is not required to affiliate with a particular political party; however, applicants may opt to register as a Democrat or a Republican (there is no recognized Independent Party in NH). If no affiliation is designated, the applicant will be registered as Undeclared on the voter checklist. In Primary Elections, those voters affiliated with one of the three recognized political parties may only vote in the Primary Election of that party. Undeclared voters may choose on Election Day at the polls to affiliate with any of the parties to request that party's ballot at the polls; however, this action formally affiliates them with this political party, and they will be listed as this party on future voter checklists if not subsequent action is taken. Voters who arrive at the polling place on Primary Election Day as Undeclared and affiliate with a political party to participate in their contest who wish to return to Undeclared status may do so after casting their ballot and before exiting the polling place at the Undeclared Voter Re-Registration station. Please note: the Libertarian Party did not meet the minimum threshold to maintain major party status in NH during the November 2018 election and is not a current party affiliation option.
- Where do I register to vote?
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The voter registration process in New Hampshire is designed to place in person before a designated election official. New Hampshire currently does not allow for open voter registration by mail. Individuals may register to vote at the Town Office (41 South Main Street) Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Applications may be made at any time of the year (except 10 days prior to any election). There may also be specially scheduled registration sessions leading up to major elections; these events will be posted on the Town website.
Absentee voter registration is available to residents who cannot physically present themselves to the Town Clerk's Office due to disability or temporary absence. If registering absentee, we cannot provide any forms via email or by giving them to someone else - they must be mailed via U.S. post directly to the registrant. The registrant must have access to a printer as paper copies of documentation that proves their identity and Hanover domicile must be posted back to our office along with the completed voter registration form and absentee voter registration affidavit (which must be witnessed by someone other than the registrant).
You may also register same-day on Election Day in New Hampshire - however, we encourage you to register early in order to avoid any unnecessary delays at the polling place.
- How do I obtain an absentee ballot?
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Absentee Ballot Request Forms are available for the 2024 Presidential Primary here, or by visiting the Hanover Town Hall during business hours.
Absentee Ballot Request forms can also be found on our website under Voting Information, or the voter may email the Town Clerk's Office or call at 603-640-3200 to have the form provided to them. From recent correspondence from the Office of the NH Secretary of State, we have learned the request form must be signed in ink on paper.
The completed form may be returned as follows:
- Via email to the Town Clerk's Office
- Fax to 603-643-1720
- In person to
Hanover Town Hall at 41 South Main Street - Via post to
P.O. Box 483
Hanover NH 03755
There is an electronic process for voters who certify they have a print disability and, because of this disability, are unable to sign the application for absentee ballot.
Voters living overseas can apply for an absentee ballot using a Federal Postcard Application, or FPCA at any time throughout the year. These can be filled out, signed in ink on paper and emailed to townclerk@hanovernh.org. Voters will receive their ballots by email, with instructions for filling out and mailing by post back to Hanover Town Hall.
In the State of New Hampshire, voting by absentee ballot is allowed only for the following reasons:
- Physical disability or impairment
- Religious observance
- Absence from Town or City of residence on the day of election
- Employment or family care obligations
Please note: "no excuse" absentee voting for convenience is not currently an option in New Hampshire.
Questions? Please email the Town Clerk's Office now!
- Where do I vote?
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The Town of Hanover has a single voting district - unlike larger cities or towns, there are no wards. The single designated polling place is:
Hanover High School
41 Lebanon Street
Hanover, NH 03755Polls open at 7 am and close at 7 pm.
- I attend college in Hanover, can I vote here?
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Please see a basic breakdown of how to vote in Hanover, NH here. You can also find more information from the New Hampshire Secretary of State's office regarding domicile / residency questions, here.
- What paperwork should I bring with me when registering to vote?
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You will be asked to present proof of citizenship, age and domicile.
Citizenship
A birth certificate, U.S. Passport/Passcard, or naturalization document; if none of these is available, a Qualified Voter Affidavit may be completed.
Identity & Age
A driver's license or non-driver ID from any state; if none of these is available, a Qualified Voter Affidavit may be completed.
Domicile
Any of the following documents can be submitted as presumptive evidence that the applicant meets the domicile requirement: a current lease or utility bill with Hanover address, a current NH driver's license with Hanover address, current NH vehicle registration with a Hanover address, a letter from Dartmouth's Office of Residential Life confirming Hanover on-campus residency. If none of these is available, a Domicile Affidavit may be completed.
Note: We have been advised by the Office of the NH Attorney General that the Qualified Voter Affidavit and the Domicile Affidavit may not be offered to those who are registering to vote absentee (by mail); they are available only to those registering in person before a Hanover election official.
- How do I cast my absentee ballot?
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Make your vote count! Be sure to carefully follow the instructions enclosed with your ballot. After marking your ballot, place it in the smaller envelope, seal this envelope, and sign the affidavit that fits your particular circumstances. After you have signed the proper affidavit with your full name, place the envelope containing the ballot into the mailing envelope, affix proper postage and mail with adequate time so that it is delivered to the Hanover Town Clerk by post no later than 5 pm on Election Day. Ballots may be hand delivered to the Town Clerk's Office no later than 5 pm the day before Election Day by the voter him/herself or by an immediate family member (spouse, parent, sibling, or child) who will need to complete a State of NH Absentee Ballot Return Form.
- Who do I contact to see about working at the polls on Election Day?
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Our elections are fueled by volunteer ballot clerks, and we are always looking for new recruits! Please email the Town Clerk’s Office to be added to the list. Thank you for your interest.