New Hampshire
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New Hampshire Strengthens Election Integrity and Voter Participation in 2024
New Hampshire Sets Record with Over 834,000 Ballots Cast in 2024 General Election
New Hampshire voters turned out in record numbers for the 2024 general election, according to data from the Secretary of State's Office.
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A total of 834,651 ballots were cast, including 737,355 regular ballots and 99,296 absentee ballots, amounting to more than 60% of the state's population. This surpassed Secretary of State David Scanlan’s pre-election projection of 824,000 voters.
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The previous turnout record was set during the 2020 general election, with 814,499 ballots cast. This year’s election marks a significant milestone in voter participation for the Granite State.
New Hampshire is one of three states that does not offer early voting and had previously restricted voting by mail, so the state has traditionally had strong in-person turnout on Election Day. But since 2020, the state has expanded eligibility for vote by mail by allowing COVID-19 to be a reason not to vote in person.
Thanks to the expanded options, New Hampshire voter turnout increased by 3% between 2016 and 2020 (or about 40,000 new voters), and by 2.48% between 2020 and 2024 (or about 20,000 new voters). Because New Hampshire is known for being “the nation’s swingiest state,” these percentage points can have big impacts on election outcomes.
Election Integrity is Strong in New Hampshire
New Hampshire continues to safeguard its elections with new legislation aimed at ensuring secure, transparent, and inclusive voting practices. The following updates, effective throughout 2024, further enhance election integrity:
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Election Audits for Accuracy
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Starting in 2024, the Secretary of State will conduct random audits of ballot-counting devices after state primaries, general elections, and presidential primaries. Results will be publicly available within four days of the election to ensure accuracy and public trust.
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Deepfake and AI Regulation in Campaigns
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Strict measures are in place to regulate synthetic media and deceptive AI-generated content (deepfakes) used in campaigns. Disclosures are required for AI-generated media, protecting voters from misleading information.
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Transparent Counting and Tabulation
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Counting and tabulation of votes must be public, ensuring transparency. Election results must be promptly posted for public review within an hour of completion.
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Support for Absentee Voting in Elder Care Facilities
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As of September 10, 2024, election officials may now deliver absentee ballots directly to nursing homes and elder care facilities, ensuring privacy and fairness in the voting process for residents.
Accessible Voting Systems for Disabilities
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Starting in 2025, all polling locations must implement accessible voting systems that meet federal standards, supporting voters with disabilities. Municipalities will pilot these systems and follow security guidance for local storage and maintenance.
Electioneering and No Electioneering Zone
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Electioneering, or campaigning for a candidate or issue, is prohibited within the polling location and a designated "No Electioneering Zone."
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The zone extends 10 feet outward from the entrance to polling places.
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Items like hats, buttons, or t-shirts supporting candidates must be removed or covered within this area.
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Campaign materials must be distributed outside of this zone to maintain neutrality at polling locations.
Penalties for Violations
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Failure to comply with election laws, such as violating no-electioneering zones or committing voter fraud, can result in penalties, including fines and investigations by the Attorney General.
Going After the College Vote Under the Guise of Strengthening Election Integrity
Unfortunately, some New Hampshirites do not see increased voter participation as beneficial to their political agenda and are taking steps to undermine equal access to voting–and by extension election integrity as a whole–going after young people’s votes in particular.
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New Hampshire has a higher percentage of college students than any other state. Like most college students, they face a difficult time registering to vote since their addresses change more frequently than the rest of the population.
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Historically, New Hampshire has empowered them with the freedom to vote by providing the option of a voter affidavit, which allows them to attest to their identity, citizenship, or age when voting in person if they have forgotten any important documents. This enables them as American citizens to securely cast their vote. If voters lie on the affidavit, they may face a $5,000 penalty and prison time.
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According to Heritage Foundation, the one college student to try voter fraud in recent memory was promptly caught by the Interstate Voter Registration Crosscheck Program. He was sentenced to serve six months in a state correctional facility, but that sentence was suspended on the condition that he pay a $2,000 fine and complete 200 hours of community service. He was also stripped of his right to vote in New Hampshire.
Election security is tight in New Hampshire and the systems in place are working. But new legislation would attack young people in New Hampshire by eliminating the affidavit option that has worked to make voting accessible and fair in New Hampshire.
New Challenges to Election Integrity
In September of 2024, Governor Chris Sununu signed a law that eliminated provisional ballots, requiring all first-time voters in New Hampshire to show a proof of residency, along with a passport, birth certificate, or naturalization papers—without exception. Effective November 11, 2024, people who fail to show identification will not be able to cast a ballot. There is still confusion about whether or not affidavit ballots will be in use in upcoming elections.
Photo ID Laws
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Voters must present photo identification to receive a ballot.
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Acceptable IDs must match the name on the voter checklist and include a valid expiration date (exceptions for voters 65+).
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If no ID is available, voters can be identified by certain election officials or complete a Challenged Voter Affidavit (CVA). Refusal to comply with ID requirements or the CVA process will result in denial of voting rights.
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