New Hampshire Voting Tool Kit

Get out and vote! But do this first

The trick to easy, carefree voting is living in a small town.

There's usually only one voting location – like the high school – and the number of city officials and state legislators to keep track of is fairly low.

But if you happen to live in a New Hampshire city like Portsmouth, Manchester, Concord, etc., you'll find yourself in a ward with your own City Councilor, Alderman, State Representative and, of course, voting location.

It's a lot to keep track of. But don't let it stop you from voting! Here's a Voter Toolkit to help you out.

Where do I vote?

Start by checking your town or city's website. Clerks we polled say there's always something posted around election time to guide residents.

Call your town or city clerk. They have on-hand a list of wards by street and will tell you where to go. Clerks we polled said this is the way to go if you don't have Internet access.

But here's the mother of all methods. And you may not have even known about it.

The Secretary of State's website (http://sos.NH.gov) offers Voter Information Look Up (for state elections only – not local elections), which you can access from the Secretary of State homepage or at http://sos.nh.gov/VoteInforLook.aspx. This brings you to a place where you can:

• See what party you are registered with.
• Find out where your polling place is for your town or city ward for state elections.
• Search for and track your absentee ballot from the time it is mailed to the time it is received.
• Find out who your town or city clerk is and where your town office of city hall is located.
• Download a list of all clerks and their contact information, as well as polling locations across the state and hours.

The information is updated daily so you'll always be in the right place.

So you've made it to the polls successfully. But who do you vote for? Enter part two.

Who's my Senator/State Rep./Alderman/City Councilor/other city or town official?

For candidates running in your district, we'll again direct you to the Secretary of State's website. By clicking on Elections Division, you can see a list of options that include candidate filings and post-election results.

For existing legislators, visit gencourt.state.nh.us where you can go to the House of Representatives or State Senate pages and search for your rep or senator. A handy map divides the state into districts, and you can locate your city or town and a subsequent list of your state legislators.

And, of course, for your local municipal elections, clerks we spoke with recommend visiting the town or city website or just giving them a call, especially if you don't have Internet access.