A Voter's Guide to the Sept. 8 State Primary Election

posted on: 9/1/2020

With the State Primary Election Day on Tuesday, Sept. 8, just days away, below is information on how Dover residents can request and vote by absentee ballot, register to vote, and find their polling place for in-person voting.

LIMITED TIME TO REQUEST AN ABSENTEE BALLOT FOR SEPT. 8 STATE PRIMARY 

Dover City Clerk Susan Mistretta reminds citizens of the impending deadlines for those who wish to vote by absentee ballot for the upcoming State Primary Election on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Voters may still request an absentee ballot at the Clerk’s Office at Dover City Hall up until Monday, Sept. 7. September 7 is also the deadline for those who want to vote by absentee ballot but still need to register to vote. Please note: Monday, Sept. 7 is Labor Day, and the City Clerk’s Office will be open from 3 to 5 p.m. for election information and requests only.

The City Clerk’s Office is located in the Customer Service Center at City Hall. Its regular business hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mailing address is 288 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820.

The form to request an absentee ballot is available at the City Clerk’s Election Information webpage. The form will also allow a voter to request a ballot for the General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Any registered voter unable to vote on Election Day, or who cannot make it to the polls because of a disability, religious observance, due to employment obligations, or any reason relating to COVID-19, may request an absentee ballot from the City Clerk’s Office. 

DEADLINE ON RETURNING STATE PRIMARY ABSENTEE BALLOTS 

If returning by mail, absentee ballots must be received at City Clerk’s Office by 5 p.m. on the day of the election, Sept. 8. The City Clerk’s Office is located in the Customer Service Center at City Hall. The mailing address is 288 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820.

The Secretary of State and Dover City Clerk urge those mailing in ballots to do so as soon as possible to avoid possible postal delays and to ensure it is received in time and is counted. Election officials expect a high volume of absentee ballots for this election.

Returning an absentee ballot by mail requires a signed affidavit, which is included with the ballot and return envelope. If voting by absentee ballot due to COVID-19, sign under “Absence Because of Religious Observance or Physical Disability.”

This year, the Secretary of State’s Office will also allow absentee ballots to be delivered directly to voter’s polling place. These ballots must be received at the polling place by 5 p.m. to be counted. Ballots must be received at the correct polling place. Residents can utilize the interactive Ward Map on the City Clerk’s Election Information webpage to help locate what Dover ward they live in, and the location of their ward’s polling place.

REGISTERING TO VOTE

Residents who plan to cast their ballot in person but have not yet registered to vote can do so on the day of the election at the voter’s polling place. (See the City Clerk’s interactive Ward Map to find out what Dover ward you live in and polling location.) The deadline to register to vote before the election is today, Sept. 1, at the City Clerk’s Office during regular business hours. Additionally, new voters can register tonight during the session of the Supervisors of the Checklist from 7 to 7:30 p.m. in the Dover City Clerk’s Office.

To be eligible to register and vote in New Hampshire, a person must be:

• 18 years of age or older on Election Day;
• A United States citizen; and
• Domiciled in the Dover ward where the person seeks to vote.

To register, you will need to provide proof of your identity, age, citizenship, and domicile. Documents may be presented in paper or electronic form. Documents include:

• A driver’s license or non-driver ID from any state satisfies proof of identity and age.
• A birth certificate, U.S. Passport/Passcard, or naturalization document satisfies proof of citizenship.

If you do not have these documents, you can prove your identity, age, and/or citizenship, by signing an affidavit, under oath, in front of an election official.

For more information on Registering to Vote in New Hampshire, please visit the Secretary of State’s “Registering to Vote in New Hampshire” information page. 

DEADLINE HAS PASSED TO CHANGE PARTY AFFILIATION

Per state law, the deadline to change political party affiliation in New Hampshire is 90 days before a primary. If you are registered as Undeclared, you will be declaring yourself as a Republican or Democratic Party member when voting in the State Primary. If you wish to return to undeclared, you can sign the checklist on the way out of the polls, or come into the Dover City Clerk’s office after the election.

UPDATED VOTING LOCATIONS 

Dover has six polling locations, which is based on Dover six wards. To locate polling places and determine your correct voting location, see the Dover City Clerk’s interactive Ward Map.

• Ward 1 - Horne Street Elementary School, 78 Horne Street
• Ward 2 - Woodman Park Elementary School, 11 Towle Avenue
• Ward 3 - Parish of the Assumption - St. Joseph’s, 150 Central Avenue
• Ward 4 - Elks Lodge, 282 Durham Road
• Ward 5 - St John’s Methodist Church, 28 Cataract Avenue
• Ward 6 - Hellenic Center, 219 Long Hill Road (PLEASE NOTE: NEW POLLING LOCATION)

INFORMATION FOR NOV. 3 GENERAL ELECTION 

Absentee ballots for the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, will not be available until the Secretary of State’s Office certifies the primary election results. Dover City Clerk Mistretta anticipates mailing out absentee ballots for the general election beginning on Friday, Sept. 18. However, that time is dependent on when the Clerk’s Office receives the General Election Ballots from the Secretary of State’s Office.

Absentee ballots for the State General Election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 are available at the City Clerk's Office. Applications for an absentee ballot are available online here or at the City Clerk's Office. Voters are urged to request and return absentee ballots as soon as possible to avoid potential postal delays. Any registered voter unable to vote on Election Day, or who cannot make it to the polls because of a disability, religious observance, due to employment obligations, or any reason relating to COVID-19, may request an absentee ballot from the City Clerk's Office in person or by mail.

The City Clerk's Office, located in the Customer Service Center at City Hall, is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mailing address is 288 Central Avenue, Dover, NH 03820.

For more information, call 516-6018 or visit https://www.dover.nh.gov/government/opengovernment/election-information/.

ELECTION OFFICERS NEEDED IN ALL WARDS

The City Clerk’s Office is seeking election officers to help staff Dover’s polling places during upcoming elections, including the State Primary in September and the General Election in November.

The City Clerk’s office provides training to all election workers. These are paid positions. Election workers must be at least 18 years old and a Dover resident.

Election officers assist with various duties on election day, including aiding voters, maintaining order, opening and closing the polls, and processing the vote counts. Election workers are needed in all of the City’s six wards.

For more information, contact the City Clerk’s Office at 516-6018 or email City Clerk Mistretta at s.mistretta@dover.nh.gov.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about the Sept. 8 State Primary Election, visit the City of Dover's online resource here: https://go.usa.gov/xG4yg.