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RSA 654:34 · Change of Registration

Title
LXIII: ELECTIONS
Chapter
654 · VOTERS AND CHECKLISTS
Status
current
Official source linked
Yes
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654:34 Change of Registration. –

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I.

Change of registration of a voter whose party membership has been previously registered.

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(a)

Any legal voter whose party membership has been registered may change such registration by appearing in person before the supervisors of the checklist for his town or ward any time they meet, except as prohibited by paragraph IV, and stating to them under oath or affirmation, if required, that:

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(1)

He intends to affiliate with and generally supports the candidates of the party with which he offers to register, in which case he shall be registered as a member of such party; or

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(2)

He does not wish to be registered as a member of any party, in which case his party designation shall be removed from the checklist.

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(b)

He may also change such registration at any primary, upon making oath or affirmation to the same effect, but he shall not be permitted in such case to vote the ballot of any party at such primary.

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II.

Change of registration of a voter who has been registered as an undeclared voter.

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(a)

Any legal voter who has been registered as an undeclared voter may register as a member of the party of the voter's choice by appearing before the supervisors of the checklist for the voter's town or ward any time they meet, except as prohibited by paragraph IV, and stating to them, under oath or affirmation, if required, that the voter intends to affiliate with and generally supports the candidates of the party with which the voter offers to register, in which case the voter shall be registered as a member of such party.

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(b)

A voter may also register as a member of a party at any primary by requesting to be registered as a member and voting the ballot of the party of the voter's choice. A voter may also register once again as an undeclared voter after voting in a primary as a registered member of a party by returning the card or signing the list of undeclared voters from the statewide centralized voter registration database provided for in paragraph V. If cards are used, the voter shall return the card to the person at the polls designated by the town or city clerk to accept the card. All such cards and lists shall be in the possession of the supervisors of the checklist at the close of the polls on election day.

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III.

Notwithstanding any provision of paragraphs I and II to the contrary, no person who has voted in a primary may thereafter on the day of said primary change the person's party registration, unless, prior to voting in the primary, the person was registered as an undeclared voter, in which case the person may once again register as an undeclared voter, as provided in subparagraph II(b).

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IV.

No person, who is already registered to vote, whether his party membership has been previously registered or not, shall affiliate with a party or disaffiliate from a party between the first Wednesday in June and the day before the state primary election.

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V.

(a) At any primary, the supervisors of the checklist shall make available within the polling place a card or list of undeclared voters from the statewide centralized voter registration database to enable a voter who was registered as an undeclared voter but who changed registration on the day of the primary in order to vote as a registered member of a party to change registration so that the voter is registered once again as an undeclared voter. The card or list shall be in substantially the following form: Name ____________________________________ (Print) Address ______________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ I hereby request that my political party registration be changed as follows: From: Democrat [ ], or Republican [ ], or (name of any party determined by the secretary of state to have achieved official status under RSA 652:11) [ ] To: Undeclared [ ] Signed under the pains and penalties of perjury. ______________________________________________ Date ______________

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(b)

The supervisors of the checklist, upon receipt of such a card or list, shall keep it in accordance with RSA 33-A:3-a and at the public session of supervisors of the checklist on election day shall change the party of the voter as indicated on the card or list. Source. 1979, 400:3, 4; 436:1. 1981, 308:3-5. 1987, 129:2. 1993, 193:2-5. 2010, 172:8. 2011, 73:1. 2012, 113:2, 3, eff. May 31, 2012. 2018, 165:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2018.

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Source note

Source. 1979, 400:3, 4; 436:1. 1981, 308:3-5. 1987, 129:2. 1993, 193:2-5. 2010, 172:8. 2011, 73:1. 2012, 113:2, 3, eff. May 31, 2012. 2018, 165:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2018.

Source history

  • 1979, 400:3, 4; 436:1
  • 1981, 308:3-5
  • 1987, 129:2
  • 1993, 193:2-5
  • 2010, 172:8
  • 2011, 73:1
  • 2012, 113:2, 3, eff. May 31, 2012
  • 2018, 165:1, eff. Aug. 7, 2018

Related materials

Bill relationships

  • 2026 HB1062 amend · effective 2029-07-01

    p qualification of registered voters. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Random Citizenship Audits. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 45 the following new section: 654:45-a Random Citizenship Audits. I. In addition to reviewing records contained in state databases, the secretary of state may conduct audits of the citizen

  • 2026 HB1462 amend

    AN ACT relative to election law complaints. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Election Complaints. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 1 the following new section: 654:1-a Complaints. I.(a) The department of justice shall prepare and make available an election law complaint form for use by any person alleging that a vot

  • 2026 HB1627 related

    :33, relative to posting copies of persons in the town or ward entitled to vote in a primary. VII. RSA 654:34, relative to change in party registration before a primary. VIII. RSA 654:34-a, relative the forwarding of changes in party registration. IX. RSA 654:35, relative to the corrected checklist. 10 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage. LBA 26-2948 12/4/25

  • 2026 HB1627 amend

    ster as the case may be. Whenever a person is reregistered, his or her party designation, if any, on the checklist undergoing revision shall not be changed [except as provided in RSA 654:34]. 6 Verification Every 10 Years. Amend RSA 654:39, I to read as follows: II. Between April 1 and August 1 of 2026 and annually thereafter, the supervisors shall post notice of their sessions in 2 appropriate places

  • 2026 HB1627-FN related

    :33, relative to posting copies of persons in the town or ward entitled to vote in a primary. VII. RSA 654:34, relative to change in party registration before a primary. VIII. RSA 654:34-a, relative the forwarding of changes in party registration. IX. RSA 654:35, relative to the corrected checklist. 10 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage. LBA 26-2948 12/4/25

  • 2026 HB1627-FN amend

    ster as the case may be. Whenever a person is reregistered, his or her party designation, if any, on the checklist undergoing revision shall not be changed [except as provided in RSA 654:34]. 6 Verification Every 10 Years. Amend RSA 654:39, I to read as follows: II. Between April 1 and August 1 of 2026 and annually thereafter, the supervisors shall post notice of their sessions in 2 appropriate places

  • 2026 HB1678 amend

    direct voter registration. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Direct and Online Voter Registration. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 7-c the following new section: 654:7-d Direct and Online Voter Registration. I. Beginning January 1, 2026, any person qualified to register to vote under RSA 654:1 may submit a completed vot

  • 2026 HB1678-FN amend

    direct voter registration. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 New Section; Direct and Online Voter Registration. Amend RSA 654 by inserting after section 7-c the following new section: 654:7-d Direct and Online Voter Registration. I. Beginning January 1, 2026, any person qualified to register to vote under RSA 654:1 may submit a completed vot

  • 2026 HB481 reference · effective 2028-01-01

    each state or presidential primary election, the supervisors of the checklist shall be in session before each primary for the change of registration of legal voters as provided in RSA 654:34 or 654:34-a or both. Before the presidential primary, the session shall be on the Friday preceding the first day of the filing period, between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extende

  • 2025 HB172 amend

    voters from same-day voting in a presidential or state primary. Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened: 1 Change of Registration; Same Day; Undeclared Voters. Amend RSA 654:34-a, III to read as follows: III. No application for a change of party affiliation shall be accepted on the day of a primary election, except as provided in RSA 654:34, I[ and II]. 2 Repeal. The following are repe

  • 2025 HB172 repeal

    n the day of a primary election, except as provided in RSA 654:34, I[ and II]. 2 Repeal. The following are repealed: I. RSA 654:34, II(b), relative to same day change of registration for undeclared voters. II. RSA 654:34, III, relative to same day change of registration for undeclared voters. 3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2025.

  • 2024 HB115 amend

    n Tuesday before the [first] second Wednesday in [June] March between 7:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours. 3 Voters and Checklists; Change of Registration. Amend RSA 654:34, IV to read as follows: IV. No person, who is already registered to vote, whether his or her party membership has been previously registered or not, shall affiliate with a party or disaffiliate from a party be