City Registrar Announces Voter Re-Registration Requirements for Those Who Have Not Voted Since 2021

May 22, 2026

The City of Portsmouth Board of Registrar of Voters has announced that Portsmouth voters who have not voted in the past five years and who have not registered since the 2024 State General Election must re-register to remain on the voter rolls. Per New Hampshire law, all municipalities in the State must verify voter checklists annually. The Board of Registrars will mail letters to those voters eligible for removal. Those voters will need to re-register following the instructions in the letter. Eligible residents of Portsmouth are always able to register to vote on Election Day.

In addition, the last day to change party affiliation in advance of the Tuesday, September 8, 2026 State Primary Election is Tuesday, June 2nd. The Board of Registrars will meet in session that day from 4:30 to 7:30 pm at City Hall, located at 1 Junkins Avenue. At this meeting, the Board of Registrars will approve the Annual Verification List, accept new voter registrations, and process address and name changes. 

The Board of Registrar’s final session to re-register and remain on the checklist will be Monday, July 20, from 4 to 5:30 pm. Residents can also register to vote in the Clerk’s Office at City Hall during regular business hours.

To register, please bring proof of identity, age, citizenship, and domicile (Portsmouth home address). Visit sos.nh.gov/elections for more information on registering to vote. Note that student IDs are no longer valid forms of identification. 

According to RSA 658:29-a, any voter who does not present an approved photo ID, or have their identity verified by an election official, will not be allowed to vote. In which case, the voter may: 

  1. Retrieve a qualified photo ID and return to vote, or
  2. Obtain a free photo ID, for voting purposes only, by presenting a voucher from their town/city clerk or the Secretary of State to any NH DMV office that issues identification, or
  3. Make an appeal to the superior court as provided in RSA 654:12, V.

Statutes authorizing the use of a qualified voter affidavit, a challenged voter affidavit, or a domicile affidavit have been repealed.

Accurate voter checklists allow for proper election planning and reporting. In the years between such checks, many people who no longer live in Portsmouth remain on the voter rolls. Although they do not vote, their names inflate the voter count and can distort turnout statistics. For example, there are currently 18,045 registered voters in Portsmouth, while the City’s population is 22,938 (US Census, 2024). In November 2024, 82% of voters participated. If the voter rolls were more accurate and fewer inactive voters were included, the turnout percentage would be higher and the reporting more accurate.