§ 659:17 — Marking the Ballot; Instructions to Voters

The secretary of state shall provide on the top of the general election ballot the following voting instructions. The secretary of state is authorized to replace the phrase "Make the appropriate mark" with an appropriate description and example of the mark to be made for the type of ballot in use, such as "Make a cross (X) in the box" or "Completely fill in the oval":
1) To Vote
Make the appropriate mark to the right of your choice. For each office vote for up to the number of candidates stated in the sentences: "Vote for not more than 1" (if there is only one office to be filled, such as governor or state senator); or "Vote for up to X;" "X will be elected" (insert the number of offices to be filled). If you vote for more than the stated number of candidates, your vote for that office will not be counted.
2) To Vote by Write-In
To vote for a person whose name is not printed on the ballot, write in the name of the person in the "write-in" space. In cities and towns where an electronic ballot counting device is used for the counting of ballots, as provided in RSA 656:40, there shall be a square, box, oval, or other appropriate symbol for directing the voters where to make the appropriate mark directly to the right of each "write-in" space.

Legislative History

1979, 436:1. 1994, 309:9; 324:5. 1995, 97:1. 2004, 201:4. 2007, 1:1, eff. June 15, 2007. 2024, 4:14, eff. Feb. 1, 2024.