Wednesday, August 26, 2026 at 06:00 PM
ZoomSign Up to Be a Nonpartisan Poll Observer!
Sign Up to Be a Nonpartisan Poll Observer!
As we head into the upcoming elections, public attention on our voting systems is higher than ever. Nonpartisan poll observers play a critical role in making sure our elections run smoothly, voters feel supported, and every eligible ballot is counted.
As a coalition member of the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights (NHCVR), Open Democracy is helping recruit and train nonpartisan poll observers across New Hampshire for two critical election days:
- Tuesday, September 8, 2026: State Primary (Focus on Manchester, Nashua & Concord)
- Tuesday, November 3, 2026: General Election (Statewide, with priority coverage in major cities and large towns)
What does a Poll Observer do? Observers maintain a calm, reassuring presence at the polls. You’ll watch to ensure:
- Polling places run efficiently and voters experience fair, accessible treatment.
- Accessible voting devices are set up and ready for any voter who needs them.
- Any issues or questions are logged and reported straight to our HQ support team in real time.
No experience necessary! All observers receive:
- Observer resources (a checklist, manual, badge and lanyard).
- An official letter of introduction for town/city moderators.
- A live online training session.
- Direct support from our team throughout Election Day.
Three Training Dates Available—You Only Need to Attend ONE!
Choose whichever Zoom training works best for your schedule:
- Wednesday, August 12 @ 6:00PM
- Thursday, August 20 @ 6:00PM
- Wednesday, August 26 @ 6:00PM
Can’t make any of the training dates? Email [email protected] to request a recording.
Ready to sign up? Fill out the Poll Observer Availability Form to share your Election Day availability. 
Once you submit the form, you’ll receive an email with the Zoom links for all three trainings—simply attend the one that works best for you!
Tuesday, September 01, 2026 at 10:00 AM · 1 rsvp
Laconia Congregation Church in Laconia, NHKnow Before You Vote
Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 07:00 PM · 6 rsvps
ZoomOpen Democracy Book Club: Love and Democracy
Join Open Democracy Book Club on September 15 at 7pm Eastern as we welcome Dennis Michael Burke and his newest book Love and Democracy, to the Book Club for conversations and Q&A!Political organizer, strategist and writer Dennis Michael Burke, who originated the first I Voted stickers now used nationally and has won important campaign finance and gerrymandering reforms via ballot issues, describes his remarkable road adventures with heroes of American democracy, most notably Doris "Granny D" Haddock, the 90-year-old New Hampshire woman who walked across the US to successfully advance McCain's campaign finance reform bill. The Gandhi-inspired efforts of Haddock and others helped teach Burke how to win against the political Far Right—lessons he shares in these stories.
Dennis has pursued remarkable stories from interesting people worldwide—from bank robbers to the president of the World Bank, and from the Congo to his own Arizona. He has been published multiple times by Random House, Little Brown, and other publishers. Burke’s first two historical fiction novels, Diary of the Tiger Woman, set in 1922 Los Angeles, and A Place for Our Rain, set in the Southwest of 1911, arise from the real stories of his family’s deep history in the American Southwest.
The book is available from local booksellers, but you can order it directly from us! Click HERE for purchase options.