§ 657:7 — Absence, Religious Observance, and Disability

Prior to any state election, the secretary of state shall prepare the following forms in such quantity as he deems necessary:
I. Absence, religious observance, and disability absentee ballots as provided in RSA 656:33.
II. Affidavit envelopes of sufficient size to contain the ballots on which shall be printed the following:
YOUR COMPLETED ABSENTEE BALLOT MUST BE SEALED IN THIS ENVELOPE
I do hereby certify under the penalties for voting fraud set forth below that:
I am a voter in the city or town of ____________________ , New Hampshire.
One of the following applies to me:
1) I will be absent on election day. Absence includes:
a) I will be out-of-town on election day.
b) I will be unable to vote in person because I will be working.
c) I will be unable to vote in person because I will be caring for children or infirm adults, with or without compensation.
d) I am voting absentee on the Monday immediately before the election, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning, blizzard warning, or ice storm warning that applies to my town/ward, and I have concerns for traveling in the storm.
2) I am unable to vote in person due to disability.
3) I am unable to vote in person due to observance of a religious commitment, which prevents me from voting in person.
4) I am confined to a penal institution for a misdemeanor or while awaiting trial.
I have carefully read or had read to me the absentee voting instructions. I personally marked the absentee ballot enclosed in this envelope or, due to a disability, I had assistance in marking the absentee ballot.
Voter Signature_
Printed Name_
Voter Address_
A person assisting a voter with a disability shall sign this statement on this envelope acknowledging the assistance.
I attest that I assisted (print voter name) ____________________ because the voter is a person with a disability. I marked the ballot and/or this form as instructed by the voter.
In accordance with RSA 659:34, the penalty for knowingly or purposefully providing false information when registering to vote or voting is a class A misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of imprisonment not to exceed one year and a fine not to exceed $2,000. Fraudulently registering to vote or voting is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.
III. Return envelopes of size sufficient to contain the preceding envelope addressed to the town and city clerks of the state in which absentee voters shall return their ballots, if such ballots are returned by mail. On the envelopes shall be printed "Enclosed is the ballot of an absentee voter" and, at the top thereof, 4 blank spaces with the words "Name, Voting Address, Ward, Town or City" appropriately printed thereon. Absentee ballots returned to town or city clerks in person shall not be required to be placed in such outer envelopes.
IV. Such explanatory matter and instructions for voters as the secretary of state with the approval of the attorney general shall deem appropriate to carry into effect the purposes hereof.
V. Mailing envelopes large enough to contain all the above materials in which the town and city clerks shall mail or deliver them to absentee voters.

Legislative History

1979, 308:5; 436:1. 1983, 220:1. 2003, 289:37. 2006, 136:2, eff. July 21, 2006. 2016, 130:3, eff. May 27, 2016. 2017, 216:7, eff. July 10, 2017. 2018, 329:5, eff. Jan. 1, 2019. 2021, 96:3, eff. Aug. 30, 2021; 175:3, eff. Sept. 28, 2021. 2025, 298:4, eff. Sept. 30, 2025.