Tag: new hampshire
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New Hampshire legislators remove student IDs for voting, enact 24 other election bills in 2026 session
The New Hampshire General Court adjourned its 2026 regular session on June 4 after passing 25 election-related bills. Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed all 25 bills between March and July. Among those bills was HB 323, which removes student identification cards from the list of acceptable forms of identification for voting purposes. HB 323 passed…
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Primaries and incumbent contests down in New Hampshire this year—record lows since 2010
In 2026, 25% of the state legislative incumbents running for election in New Hampshire will face primary contests, a record low since 2010. In total, 77 incumbents face contested primaries across the New Hampshire House and Senate. The average number of incumbents contested each year from 2010 to 2024 was 111. Sixteen of the contested…
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Four primaries for New Hampshire's two congressional districts are contested this year — tying with 2024 for the most since 2014
This year's filing deadline for candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives in New Hampshire was June 12, 2026. This year ties with 2024 for the highest number of contested primaries since 2014. In total, four primaries — two Democratic and two Republican — are contested this year. In total, there were four contested…
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In five states, 2026 gubernatorial or state legislative races will determine who becomes the next top election official
Twenty-six states are holding elections for secretary of state in November. While these states hold direct elections for the office, nine out of the 12 states in which the governor or legislature appoints the secretary of state will hold respective gubernatorial or state legislative elections in 2026. In five of those states, the secretary of…
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Federal judge strikes down part of New Hampshire's documentary proof of citizenship law
On May 28, a federal judge ruled that parts of a New Hampshire law requiring individuals to provide documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote were unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott's ruling did not invalidate the proof-of-citizenship requirement. Instead, it reinstated the option for people to register to vote by signing an…
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New Hampshire voters to decide amendment to eliminate register of probate references from state constitution; similar measure failed two-thirds requirement in 2022
New Hampshire voters will be deciding on a constitutional amendment to eliminate references to the register of probate from the New Hampshire Constitution. It will appear on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot. The amendment, Concurrent Resolution 13, was introduced by Rep. Dennis Mannion (R) on Dec. 1, 2025. In order for a constitutional amendment to…
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Democrats gain two more state legislative seats in March special elections
Democrats gained control of two additional state legislative seats in a pair of early March special elections. Alex Holladay (D) won a March 3 special election for Arkansas House District 70, winning the race by 15 percentage points in a district Republicans won by two percentage points in 2024. Bobbi Boudman (D) won a March…
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John E. Sununu is the third former Senator running in 2026
On October 22, 2025, former U.S. Senator John E. Sununu (R) announced his campaign for U.S. Senate in New Hampshire in 2026. Incumbent Jeanne Shaheen (D), who defeated Sununu in 2008, is retiring from public office. In the Republican primary, Sununu will face two other candidates, former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown and Tejasinha Sivalingam. On…
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New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte signs bills requiring new documentation for absentee voting
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed Republican-sponsored bills expanding voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements for absentee voting on Aug. 1, 2025. Both laws take effect on Sept. 30, 2025. SB 287 requires voters requesting an absentee ballot to include a photocopy of a valid photo identification or a notarized signature with the absentee…
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New Hampshire becomes 18th state with a universal private school choice program
New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte (R) signed Senate Bill 295 on June 10, removing the income threshold from New Hampshire's Education Freedom Account Program (EFA) and making the program universal, meaning all students are eligible to participate. The bill also sets the enrollment cap for the 2025-2026 school year at 10,000 students and creates an…