What better way to be involved in the integrity of our electoral system than becoming an election official in your town!    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.

See current openings around New Hampshire

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 in the Town Clerk’s Office,
• 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 of the town.
● 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 in the Town Clerk’s Office
  ○ 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.

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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; 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

Peter Vandermark – retired professor, Boston University

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.

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