Citing competitive races up and down the ballot, New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan is predicting record voter turnout Tuesday.
He said a school tax cap question on the ballot may further motivate voters to hit the polls.
Scanlan expects 635,000 voters will cast ballots in the Nov. 3 general election.
That prediction is based in part on the number of absentee ballots that have been requested and returned, which Scanlan said is similar to the 2022 midterm election in New Hampshire. In 2022, the turnout was 626,931, with 58,655 absentee ballots. The previous midterm election, in 2018, saw 45,887 absentee ballots among a total of 580,214 votes cast.
Scanlan is urging voters to prepare to vote Tuesday, including making sure they have the necessary documents to register and cast a ballot.
It’s familiar outreach by the state’s chief election officer, but it comes amid some recent changes in election law.
- The state no longer allows school-issued photo identification to register and obtain a ballot, per a 2026 change in law that was recently backed up by the U.S. Supreme Court.
- A 2024 state law required stricter voter registration requirements, including providing proof of citizenship. A judge struck down that proof of citizenship requirement earlier this year. For the 2026 midterm elections, a new voter without that documentary proof can satisfy the requirement by completing a sworn affidavit.
The takeaway for voters is that documentation is required to prove identity, age, domicile, and citizenship – or, you can complete an affidavit attesting you are who you say you are, under penalties for voter fraud, Scanlan said in an interview this week.
“We have been encouraging voters to have a plan to exercise their right to vote,” he said. “Know in advance where your polling place is, what the polling hours are, what the requirements are. If you're going to register to vote on the day of the election, make sure you have the documents with you that you need.”
Acceptable forms of identification for registering and voting include a driver’s license, a U.S. Armed Services ID, and U.S. passport or passport card. (See additional documents)
Local election officials also have resources to help qualified voters register and obtain a ballot.
If a voter was previously registered in another town in the state, their information is already in the statewide voter registration database, so the voter only has to prove their identity and their domicile, which is their primary residential address.
Scanlan said the Secretary of State’s office also has an agreement with the state Division of Motor Vehicles for limited access to their database, “where they have actually collected citizenship information and name change information,” so they could see if documents there prove citizenship.
Find more of NHPR’s midterm election coverage here.
They also have an agreement with the state Division of Historical Records, to confirm birth information and name change information, if a person changed their last name after getting married in New Hampshire.
Despite recent changes in state election law for required documentation, Scanlan said very few voters lack an acceptable form of ID to register and get a ballot.
Scanlan said he has visited college campuses to speak with students, including a recent voter registration drive at Dartmouth College.
The changes and updates to election law, such as the state’s voter photo ID law enacted in 2012, have not impacted ballot access, according to Scanlan. He said voter participation rates have remained consistently high. Voting rights advocates have said such changes, however, add unnecessary barriers to legal voters and are rooted in unfounded claims of widespread election fraud.
