CONCORD – New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan announces that all absentee ballots for the 2022 State Primary election have been delivered to every city and town clerk’s office in New Hampshire. Voters who request absentee ballots can obtain them from their local clerk.

Please be advised that the statutes, executive orders and guidance in place for the 2020 elections specific to COVID-19 and obtaining an absentee ballot have expired. Absentee voting will follow the same process it did during the 2018 elections, before the pandemic.

New Hampshire’s Constitution and laws allow absentee voting if the voter is prevented from voting in person because of absence, disability, or the voter cannot appear in public because of observance of a religious commitment.  Further information is available on the Secretary of State’s website at: https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/voters/absentee-ballots. This link also contains instructions on requesting an absentee ballot. Voters can check the status of their absentee ballots using the Voter Information Lookup tool at https://app.sos.nh.gov/viphome

The last day local city and town clerks can accept absentee ballots filed by the voter in person is 5 p.m. on Sept. 12, the day before the State Primary. All clerks’ offices will be open between 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on this day. A voter’s delivery agent can deliver the completed absentee ballot in the affidavit and mailing envelope to the clerk at the polling place on election day any time before 5 p.m. Mailed-in absentee ballots can be accepted if the ballot is received by the clerk from the Postal Service by 5 p.m. on election day, Sept. 13. 

With the State Primary just around the corner, New Hampshire voters should remember that their local and state election officials continue to be their trusted source of election information. The Secretary of State’s Office is also happy to answer any questions voters may have about New Hampshire’s elections.