New Hampshire Resources for Voters with Disabilities

U.S. Vote Foundation's New Hampshire Voters with Disabilities Guide provides valuable resources including information on accessible voting options, voter rights, and guidance on the voting process. This essential New Hampshire guide empowers individuals to exercise their right to vote in a private, independent, and accessible way.

What are my rights as a voter with a disability in New Hampshire?

In New Hampshire, you have the right to the following as protected by federal law. Election staff must respect these rights:

  • Accessible voter registration
  • Accessible polling places
  • Policies and procedures that do not discriminate against you based on your disability
  • Accessible, available, and operational voting systems, features
  • Your service animal to accompany you inside the polling place
  • The right to vote privately and independently or with assistance, if needed
  • Assistance from a person of choice, who can be a friend, family member, or poll worker (but not your boss, union agent, or a candidate unless this person is your family member)
  • Election Staff trained to understand the rights above

In New Hampshire, you also have the right to:  

  • Independently mark and cast your ballot without interference, coercion, or intimidation
  • Vote in privacy and cast a secret ballot
  • Receive assistance when voting
  • Review a sample ballot before voting
  • Vote by absentee ballot if you have a disability that prevents you from voting in person on Election Day
  • Vote using an accessible absentee ballot, if you have a qualifying print disability
  • File a complaint about voting accessibility or other violation

New Hampshire additionally guarantees that every polling place must have:

  • A van-accessible parking space, if there is a parking lot. The lot must have the required number of accessible spaces
  • A clear and reasonably smooth route from the accessible parking spaces to the building entrance
  • If the route from parking or the sidewalk to the room where voting occurs includes a significant change in elevation, a ramp or elevator may be required
  • The accessible entrance to the building must be clearly marked
  • The accessible entrance must accommodate a wheelchair and be easily opened by a person with a disability
  • The route from the entry door to the voting area must be clearly marked and free of obstructions
  • An accessible voting booth with a shelf or table
  • Tabletop voting screens, which allow a voter to sit at a table and mark a ballot

Know Your Rights - Use Disability Rights NH Voting Rights Toolkit 

Check out Disability Rights NH Accessible Voting Fact Sheet for more information about your rights accessing different ways to vote

 

Federal law requires assistance in registering to vote from offices that provide public assistance or state-funded programs serving people with disabilities. Responsibilities include:

  • Providing voter registration forms
  • Assisting voters in completing the forms
  • Transmitting completed forms to the appropriate election official
  • All aspects of voter registration must be accessible
What are the rules of assistance for disabled voters in New Hampshire?
  • You may request assistance from a poll worker or receive assistance from any person of your choice with the following exceptions:  
    • your employer, an agent of your employer
    • an officer or agent of your union
  • Your helper does not have to be a resident of your town or voting ward
  • A poll worker cannot force you to accept assistance.
What are the ways to request an Absentee Ballot in New Hampshire?
How is the New Hampshire mail-in or absentee ballot process made accessible for voters with print disabilities?
What accommodations are available for voters with disabilities at polling locations in New Hampshire?

Federal law requires polling places to meet minimum compliance standards for individuals with special needs. 

If you are unable to stand in line, you can:

  • Request to be moved to the front of the line or refuse to be moved to the front of the line
  • Request that a chair be provided or refuse to accept a chair
  • Request to have your place in line held and notified when it is your turn

Additionally, for FEDERAL elections, in New Hampshire:

  • Every polling place is equipped with an accessible voting system known as “one4all” that permits a voter with a disability to vote independently and in private
  • A voter who needs assistance marking his or her ballot at the polling place may ask the Moderator to authorize assistance from an election official or a person of the voter’s choosing
  • Note that accessible voting systems are not available for local/municipal elections
How can I prepare to use accessible voting equipment in New Hampshire prior to Election Day?

Check our these helpful Future In Sight videos to prepare to vote:

You can also contact your local election official for information on the accessible voting equipment available to you.

Who do I contact if I have problems when voting in New Hampshire?

If you believe a violation of New Hampshire election law has been violated, complete New Hampshire's Election Law Complaint Form.

You can also fill out a Violation of Civil Rights Complaint Form and submit it to the US Department of Justice by one of the following methods:

  • Online, through the form’s submission process - this is the fastest method.
  • By fax at (202) 616-9881. You MUST include “ATTN: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Complaints" at the top of your fax submission for it to be processed correctly.
  • By mailing your form to: 

                 U.S. Department of Justice
                 Office of the Inspector General Investigations Division
                 ATTN: Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Complaints
                 950 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
                 Washington, DC 20530

 
You can contact Disability Rights New Hampshire for assistance.

For additional assistance, The National Network of ADA Centers can provide local contact information for other organizations you may wish to contact, including your Regional ADA Center or ADA Knowledge Translation Center, or Federal Agencies and Resources.

Helpful Quick Links
State-specific Resources Guide for Voters With Disabilities
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