With the September 8 New Hampshire State Primary fast approaching, we wanted to share an important reminder about upcoming voter registration and party affiliation deadlines. 🗳️

Because most Granite Staters are registered as “undeclared,” it's important for voters to understand how NH's primary system works.

If you are currently registered as “undeclared,” you are able to choose either party’s ballot in the State Primary. However, there are a few important things to keep in mind:

🗓️ June 2 is the deadline to change your party affiliation before the primary.

⚠️ If an undeclared voter casts a Democratic or Republican primary ballot—either in person or absentee—their voter registration will automatically change to that party affiliation.

After the primary, voters may change their affiliation back to “undeclared” (or to another party) either that same day by visiting the Supervisors of the Checklist table at their polling place or afterward by contacting their local clerk. Procedures can vary by town or city.

🚨 If you think you may have forgotten to switch your affiliation back to “undeclared” after the last primary, make sure to double-check before the June 2 deadline so you can vote in the 2026 primary the way you intend!

📬 Voting absentee?
Undeclared voters requesting an absentee ballot must indicate which party’s primary ballot they want on their absentee ballot application.

🔎 You can check your:

• Voter registration status
• Party affiliation
• Absentee ballot request & return status

...using the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s Voter Information Lookup Tool. 

For more information, visit the Sec. of State's Party Primary FAQ page or contact your local town or city clerk.

Help us get out the vote (GOTV)! The last round of New Hampshire town elections is coming up this Tuesday, May 12, for voters living in Chester, Hanover, Hebron, Newport, New Castle, and Peterborough.

With so many recent changes to New Hampshire’s voting laws, it’s important to make a plan before heading to the polls. Here are the most important things voters should know before Election Day:

✅ If already registered to vote, do these things:

• 🚨 CLICK TO DOUBLE-CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS 🚨
  • Starting this year, comprehensive voter roll verification (commonly referred to as voter roll purges) will take place annually instead of once every 10 years. Supervisors of the Checklist may remove voters who have not voted in the past five years. Voters who have cast a ballot within the last five years or registered since the 2024 general election do not need to take any action. Still, mistakes can happen—so it’s a good idea to double-check your registration status, even if you’re a frequent voter.
• Be sure to bring a valid photo-ID with you to check in and obtain your ballot. 🪪
  • Important for Dartmouth students voting in Hanover: while student IDs have been banned for voting, the law does not take effect until June 2. 🎓 

📝 If registering to vote, do these things: 

• Bring documentary proof of your age, citizenship, identity, and domicile (remember "ACID") + proof of name change, if applicable (photos are acceptable 📷)
  • If you were previously registered in New Hampshire, or are currently registered in another NH town or ward, you generally do not need to reprove citizenship or age, only identity and domicile. Still, we recommend bringing proof of all qualifications just in case.
  • ⚠️ You should absolutely try to bring all required documents with you if you have them, since access to the statewide voter registration system (SVRS) is often limited to certain election officials and lines could become long on Election Day. However, if you are missing certain documents, local election officials may still be able to assist you. With your permission, they may search certain records from the NH DMV and Division of Vital Records to help verify your voter qualifications.

📌 Things all voters should do before Election Day:

• Confirm the location of your polling place.
• Check your town’s polling hours ahead of time, as hours can vary by municipality. ⏰ 
• View a sample ballot on your town's website. 

Did you know that you can now request your absentee ballot for both the State Primary on September 8 and the General Election on November 3?

It’s important to note that you must submit a separate absentee ballot request form for each election.

As you prepare, here are some recent absentee voting law changes to be aware of:

5 days remain until November 4th, Election Day in 11 NH cities! These are Berlin, Claremont, Concord, Dover, Keene, Laconia, Manchester, Nashua, Portsmouth, Rochester, and Somersworth. Make sure you have a plan to vote if you reside in one of these cities, and encourage your friends and family to do the same. 🗳️

In collaboration with The Civics Center, Open Democracy is happy to share our latest research on High School Voter Registration Drives across the Granite State! In the latest research report titled, "Increasing Voter Registration Among 18-Year-Olds in New Hampshire" by Laura Brill, Kassie Canter, and Fionn Shea, you see very promising statistics and anecdotes on the progress we have made in the state! We still have work to be done but this is concrete evidence that we are headed towards a brighter tomorrow!

The voter registration rate nearly doubled from 8.5% in June 2022 to 15.6% in July of 2023! This is a key indicator that this initiative is truly changing the lives and communities that 18 year olds reside. This helps strengthen our democracy in the present but also in the future. As this program grows and more schools hold High school Voter Registration Drives, we expect these numbers to increase again.

These numbers are promising and more work is surely ahead. The national average for 18 year old voter registration is 30% and that towers over our number here in the Granite State. With your help and support, we can catch up to the national average and even surpass it! If you find this issue is important to you, your family, or your community, please consider volunteering!

Sally lived her life committed to kindness, compassion and justice. She believed in the promise of democracy and the idea that we as a nation are stronger when all voices are heard and all votes are counted.  

Granny D Memorial Walk

Granite Staters across the political spectrum took steps to strengthen our democracy, and honor Granny D's legacy, at this year’s Granny D Memorial walk Saturday, August 13, 2022. 

The walk began near Granny D’s home, where Dave Daley, author of Unrigged: How Americans Are Battling Back to Save Democracy, sent the marchers off with words that echoed Granny D: “democracy is an action. It is a verb.”

And so the group set out to take action, walking to fix democracy, as how in 1999 Granny D set out to walk 3200 miles across the United States to raise the issue of money in politics. The messages on signs held showed the intersectionality of the issue today; messages to strengthen democracy for a healthy environment, for racial equality, and for the livelihoods of future generations. Some held signs that encouraged onlookers simply to use their power, and vote.

After the ~6 mile journey, the walk ended in Depot Square, Peterborough, where walkers were greeted with music from FolkSoul Duo. Francie von Mertens, Grace Aldrich, and Rick Hubbard shared memories of Granny D, and stories of hope for our democracy. The walk was also a celebration of Rick Hubbard’s own walk across the country, Walking to Fix Democracy, that he will start October 1. His journey is available at www.fixourdemocracy.us

Granny D showed the country the incredible power of everyday people to make positive change. The problem Granny D highlighted, the power of wealthy special interest groups to sway elected officials who should only be accountable to the voters, continues to this day. Those who shared the road Saturday understood that we cannot take our democracy for granted, and that we must do democracy, with actions daily, weekly, to achieve a democracy that works for us all.

Last Wednesday, supporters and advocates of Open Democracy gathered at the beautiful, politically-historic home of Arnie Arnesen to celebrate a year in review. For some, this was the first time meeting outside the virtual zoom box, and warm feelings of friendship filled the air. 

The program began with Olivia Zink, Executive Director, sharing the challenge in the words of Benjamin Franklin, "a Republic, if you can keep it." The evening transitioned into stories about the negative effects of wealthy special interest lobbying on our everyday lives, from the gun lobby to big pharma, after which tears of frustration turned to laughter with the songs of the "Corruption Chorus."

The 2022 Annual Meeting was both humbling and inspiring, with attendees left feeling like we have our work laid out for us next year to defend our democracy. Whether registering voters, or educating about pro-democracy bills in the legislature, that work will only be successful with this wonderful community, done together.

Take part in public "listening sessions" by the NH House and NH Senate around the state.   One hearing is being held before the maps are drawn, and we're advocating for a second round of hearings for the public to analyze the finished maps.   Why?  Because we're suspicious of anti-voter faction members within the committee who may be scheming a gerrymandered Congressional district map.  

Get involved!  Speak up! 

Other important issues:

• 62 Towns which were eligible for their own NH House district did not get it in 2011
• NH Senate Districts ignored "communities of interest," crossing county lines, through regional high schools, and bisecting public health regions
• NH Executive Council districts include District 2, which packs Democratic-leaning towns into one district which snakes from Vermont to Maine.
• Some towns districted together are joined in lakes, in the middle of the woods, and in some cases force their legislators to drive out of the county to get to the other side.

We were so gratified by the 110 people who joined us on Sunday, Jan. 24 for Granny D Day! Great music, stories and calls to action by our generous speakers. A special thanks to Professor Larry Lessig and 350 founder Bill McKibben, who stepped in on short notice for the under-the-weather Bill Moyers, who sent his best to all of you by email.

If you missed the presentation, take few minutes this weekend to listen to this wonderful presentation.