Nonpartisan Open Democracy works to keep elections FAIR for all, and to and allow all eligible voters to exercise their RIGHT to vote.  This year, our work is more important than ever.

In the last two weeks before the 2020 election, we are mobilizing our Regional Democracy Teams, volunteers from Protect the Vote, and Open Democracy supporters to form an Election Protection Task Force to observe the election in and around their home towns. 

This Sunday night, Oct. 18, 7 p.m. via Zoom and phone, we are holding an information session and training for all interested citizens to help protect the vote.   We ask that you sign up in advance for what we expect to be a 60 to 90 minute discussion and training. 

Below are the roles in the task force, both from home and at local in-person locations.  When you register for the meeting, please tell us what role, or roles, fit your schedule and situation best.    

• Pre-Election Checklist/Absentee Pre-Processing Monitors - (Inide, in person, your local town hall)  Final Supervisors of the Checklist meetings are required 6-13 days prior to the election and decisions and voters can use that opportunity to register.   Then beginning the Thursday before election day, pre-processing of absentee ballots begins.   In both these cases, your job is to listen and observe, making sure everyone follows the rules.  Recently, a person's registration was briefly rejected due an Arabic-sounding name, despite having all of the proper voting documentation.   
• Pre-Election/Election Day Media Monitors -  (from home)  Monitoring news media and social media for misinformation and disinformation, and amplifying positive posts  (in-home activity).   We need citizens to monitor their local newspapers and radio for mistakes on voting information, and monitor local Facebook and other social media groups to identify errors and report any disinformation intended to suppress the vote.   We are teamed up with Common Cause to evaluate and report this information.
• Election Day Roaming monitors - (Outdoors, In person, towns around you)   You'll be traveling around to several towns to monitor outside the polls activities, talking with voters and visibility folks outside the polls.  Looking for voter suppression/intimidation issues, logistical issues, and reporting to the SOS, AG or other authorities as necessary.
• Election Day Poll Observers  -  (Inside, in person, your town's polls) Stationed inside the polls, looking for voter suppression, violations of mask policies, inconsistent or incorrect rules, or disenfranchising of voters. 

If you haven't been able to participate in the Regional Democracy Teams, this is an excellent, short-term action that is SO VERY IMPORTANT to the integrity of our election.  

• Below, tell us in which Election Protection Task Force role you'd be interested, using the job descriptions above.
  

• After saving your choice, a confirmation email will come with training links and resources to prepare you for helping.

• We'll be in touch shortly via our "Protect the Vote" Google Group

• When you're done, you'll be sent to our Election Protection Task Force training and tools page

Vote-by-mail absentee ballots have been used in New Hampshire since 1775, and 7-10% of ballots cast in NH elections are by absentee ballot.    Absentee ballots are traditionally used when the voter will be out of state or far away from their town, on religious holidays, and other reasons specified below.   There are two applications, one for town elections, and another for state and federal elections.   For any questions specific to your town, your city or town clerk  is the primary election officials dealing with absentee ballots.

Those issues which pertain specifically to absentee voting during the Covid 19 pandemic are listed in dark red, below.

Voting by Absentee Ballot in NH  - Normal Circumstances

New Hampshire has one of the most restrictive absentee ballot processes in the U.S.   Under normal circumstances,  a registered voter in New Hampshire may apply for an absentee ballot with only one of four official "excuses." 

What better way to be involved in the integrity of our electoral system than becoming an election official in your community!    These positions range from a Supervisor of the Checklist, which require a day-long commitment on election day and town meeting,  and occasional preparatory meetings throughout the rest of the year, to Town or City Clerk, which are often part time or full time paid positions. Please NOTE this might be different in your town or city. 

Local Election Official Job Descriptions

Supervisor of the Checklist

• Determine if an applicant is legally qualified to vote,
• Update the Checklist of registered voters with new voter registrations and any status changes,
• Maintain and update the voter files,
• Attend periodic training sessions held in Concord,
• Hold periodic mandatory supervisor sessions and post notices in advance, and
• Educate voters about any changes to voting procedure or law. On Election Day, supervisors are to be present before, during and after elections to set up, register voters, facilitate party changes, do data entry, and tally numbers required by the Secy. of State’s Office. Following an election, supervisors enter any new voter applications and status changes into the database and scan checklists to record voter history.

City Clerks
● City Clerks are appointed by City Council and are typically paid positions
● The mission of the City Clerk's Office is to efficiently meet all statutory obligations with respect to elections, vital records, and City Council.
● The City Clerk's Office is responsible for the preservation and management of all vital events occurring within the city. Those vital events include births, marriages, and deaths. In addition to vital records, the office records all official documents of the city.
● The office conducts and preserves the integrity of all local, state, and federal elections.
● The office is responsible for the preparation of all City Council agendas, minutes, and official
notices.

Town Clerks
● All Town Clerks are Elected for a one year or three year term, depending upon which option the town voted to enact, and must live within the town in which they serve.  These are typically paid positions.
● The Town Clerk appoints the Deputy Town Clerk and the appointment is subject to approval of the Selectmen.
● The Deputy Town Clerk must also be a resident of the town and able to perform all the duties of the Town Clerk
● The Town Clerk is the chief election official, is responsible for keeping all town records, certifying actions of the Selectmen and other town officials, making official reports, collecting fees, carrying out specific mandated laws and many other municipal related duties.

Supervisors of the Checklist
Three Supervisors of the Checklist are elected with staggered terms of six years to serve the voters.
● Duties include:
  ○ Determining if an applicant is legally qualified to vote,
  ○ Updating the Checklist of registered voters with new voter registrations and any status changes
  ○ Maintaining and updating the voter files 
  ○ Attending periodic training sessions held in Concord
  ○ Holding periodic mandatory supervisor sessions and post notices in advance, and
  ○ Educating voters about any changes to voting procedure or law.
● On Election Day, supervisors are to be present before, during and after elections to set up, register voters, facilitate party changes, do data entry, and tally numbers required by the Secy. of State’s Office.
● Following an election, supervisors enter any new voter applications and status changes into the database and scan checklists to record voter history.

Moderators
● Elected for a two year term at the annual meeting, in towns every even numbered year, in cities every other regular city election.
● The moderator is the chief election officer in charge of the polls at the ward level.
● The moderator is under the direction of the city clerk who is the city’s chief election officer.
● It is the responsibility of the moderator to make certain that all the election officers are available on the day of the election and that each is familiar with their respective duties for the day.
● The moderator is required to have the polling place open and ready to accept voters at the prescribed time
● During the election day, the moderator is charged with maintaining order at the polling place and ensuring that proper documentation is posted
● In towns, moderators also run the town meeting. They stand at the front of the room, welcome voters, and explain meeting protocols

Selectmen
• Town Selectman: Elected for a three year term at the annual meeting.
• Ward Selectmen: Elected for two-year terms at the biennial municipal election, every odd-numbered year.
• There are three elected selectmen per ward.
• The selectmen may be responsible for choosing the polling place. They report directly to the moderator.
• Their primary duty is to maintain the checklist and to aid the voters in the election process.
• They must be signatories on warrants and most of the election reports and are, therefore, responsible for the proper counting of the election results (including tallies and absentee counting) and providing the Ward or Town Clerk with their results.
• They are responsible for the orderly flow of voters through the polling place and to ensure that the
polls are open and functioning properly.
• They are also responsible for making appointments of ballot inspectors if the two major parties fail
to appoint within the required timeframe.

Ward Clerks
• Elected for a two-year term at the biennial municipal election, every odd-numbered year.
• The ward clerk reports to the moderator.
• The primary duty of the clerk shall be to administer and prepare the documentation required at the polling place. This includes not only the election return and tally sheets and associated reports, but will also include such documentation as poll workers time sheets, payroll records, W-4 forms, etc.
• The ward clerk must pick up the ward supplies and documentation package at the city clerk’s office before reporting to the polling place.
• The ward clerk shall also aid any voters who may need assistance in the polling area. The clerk will assist the moderator in the course of managing the polling place.
• Other duties require the clerk, at the direction of the city clerk and the Secretary of State, to require the selectmen to sign and post warrants announcing the upcoming election.

Ballot Inspector/ Ballot Clerk

Ballot Inspectors (also known as Ballot Clerks) are community members just like you interested in maintaining the integrity of our elections. As a Ballot Inspector, you would serve in one of the many roles needed at the polls - marking the checklist, handing out ballots, helping voters in need at the ballot booths, receiving ballots at the box, and more. These positions are two year terms, serve for all state and local elections, and come with a small monetary stipend for your service.
 

In order for us to efficiently get you all relevant information, please tell us what types of emails communications you would like to receive. 

If you previously "opted out" either intentionally or accidentally, please go here for instructions or help on rejoining our membership list. 

Carol Shea-Porter, Chair.  - former member of Congress (D-NH); politics and history teacher; founder of a non-profit social service agency

John Broderick – former Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court; former Executive Director of the Rudman Center at University of New Hampshire Law School

Brad Cook – partner and past President of Sheehan Phinney Law Firm; Chair of the New Hampshire Ballot Law Commission

Lew Feldstein – past President of the NH Charitable Foundation; co-author of Better Together: Restoring the American Community

Paul Hodes – former member of Congress (D-NH); attorney; member, National Council on the Arts; founder of the Economic Innovation Institute

Joe Magruder – former News Editor, Associated Press of New Hampshire

Lillye Ramos Spooner – Director of Operations for Greater Manchester AIDS Project; former member of the NH Commission on the Status of Women

Stephen Reno – Executive Director of Leadership New Hampshire; former Chancellor of the University System of New Hampshire

John Rauh – former President of Americans for Campaign Reform, now part of Issue One; former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate

Jim Rubens – entrepreneur; former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate; former New Hampshire state Senator

Betty Tamposi, Assistant Secretary of State under George H.W. Bush; as a state Representative, was Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee; former member of the Board of Governors of the University of New Hampshire

Dan Weeks  - co-owner of ReVision Energy; former Executive Director of Open Democracy

** Affiliations listed for identification purposes only. Advisory Board members serve in their individual capacities.

Have you made a plan to vote on Nov. 3rd?

If you haven't registered to vote, there's still time, but do this in person at the town clerk's office, or in person at the polls on election day.  You'll need a government-issued ID and proof of your "domicile."  Call your clerk for details, or see this PDF document at the NH Secretary of State's website for permissible documents and ID requirements.

Next, decide HOW you're going to vote:  Absentee before the election, or in-person on election day. 

If you vote by absentee ballot, you need to request an absentee ballot by downloading an absentee ballot application.   [See Open Democracy's "How to Vote by Absentee Ballot in New Hampshire" pages for details]  If you are doing absentee, you must request the ballot RIGHT NOW.   Time is short to get your application to the clerk, and get the ballot returned to the clerk.  Please return the ballot the day you get it, to allow for time to delivery, and remember to sign the affidavit envelope on the right side for concerns with COVID.  After October 23rd, we highly recommend you return your absentee ballot right to an official the town or city clerk's office.   DON'T drop it in a drop box, unless told to do so by a municipal official.  Putting a ballot in an unattended box could invalidate it.   You can also bring your ballot in on election day until 5 p.m.

If you want to vote in person at the polls, please wear a mask, and we recommend you bring your own black ball point pen.   If you forget, there will be some available for you to keep.   Due to fewer polling booths because of social distancing, be prepared and  dressed to stand in lines, possibly outside.   Sanitize going into the polls and on the way out.    A reminder that no political signs or garb are allowed in the polling place.  Be patient and kind as we get through a challenging day together!

No matter how you vote, VOTE!  Your vote is your voice, and you need to use it!