This article, written by Abbygale Martinen Dow, was originally published by the NH Union Leader and can be found here.
Starting Nov. 11, 2024 — after the 2024 general election — voters will need to provide proof of U.S. citizenship and photo identification if they wish to register to vote in New Hampshire. HB 1569, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu on Thursday, Sept. 12, and originally sponsored by former chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court and current state Rep. Bob Lynn, makes a number of changes to current voter registration requirements.
Changes in citizenship requirements
Literally speaking, New Hampshire’s voter registration law currently requires a voter who wishes to register to provide proof of U.S. citizenship. However, a voter currently need not provide physical or documentary proof of citizenship. Instead, the voter must only sign a qualified voter affidavit to establish citizenship. Essentially, a qualified voter need only attest under oath that they are a United States citizen in order to establish citizenship.
Starting Nov. 11, 2024, however, a voter who wishes to register must provide documentation evidencing proof of citizenship. Acceptable documentation includes: the applicant’s birth certificate, passport, naturalization papers, or any other reasonable documentation which indicates the applicant is a United States citizen. Once a voter is registered to vote in their town or ward, they need not present proof of citizenship at the polling place in order to receive their ballot.
Changes in identity requirements
In addition to the new identity requirements for registering to vote, starting Nov. 11, 2024, a voter wishing to obtain a ballot must also provide proof of identity. Currently, a voter wishing to obtain their ballot may satisfy the identification requirements by signing a sworn affidavit affirming the voter’s identity. The voter is then supposed to return with proof of identification within seven days and, if they do not, their ballot can be subtracted from the final vote tally.
Starting Nov. 11, 2024, the only exception to the proof of identification requirement for obtaining a ballot to vote is if the supervisor of the checklist determines that the voter’s qualification and identity are established.
What you need to know for Nov. 5, 2024
If you need to register to vote in the 2024 general election, physical proof of citizenship is not required to register. You need only sign a qualified voter affidavit attesting to your citizenship. Technically, you will still need to provide proof of domicile (that you are voting in the right town or ward) and age (that you are 18 years of age or older). However, if you do not have documentation as to domicile or age, you may sign a qualified voter affidavit attesting to either or both of those qualifications.
In addition, a voter wishing to register to vote in the Nov. 5 election does not need to provide proof of identity to register. You also do not need to provide physical proof of identity to receive your ballot on Election Day. If you are unable to bring a proof of identity to vote on Election Day, you may satisfy the identity requirements by signing a sworn affidavit affirming your identity. If you sign a sworn affidavit to obtain your ballot, you will still need to present proof of your identity to your local election officials within seven days of the election to make sure that your vote is counted. Of course, it is always easiest to bring a form of photo identification to obtain your ballot, but know that you have options if you are unable to do so on Election Day.
If you want to see all of the changes made to the voter identification laws by HB 1569, view the bill information online.