Filing period set for 1st-in-nation presidential primary

CONCORD - New Hampshire's Secretary of State Office announced on Wednesday that the filing period for the New Hampshire Presidential Primary will take place from Oct. 11-Oct 27.

During the filing period, qualified candidates for president must file a Declaration of Candidacy and pay a $1,000 filing fee to have their name printed on the Presidential Primary ballot as prescribed in RSA 655:47.

Meanwhile, the last day voters can change their party affiliation before the New Hampshire Presidential Primary is Oct. 6, the Friday before the filing period.

New Hampshire voters who would like to change their party affiliation before the Presidential Primary should do so at their local clerk's office before the deadline. The Secretary of State's Voter Information Lookup tool on app.sos.nh.gov provides contact information for all NH municipal clerks.

Undeclared voters can vote in the Presidential Primary, but they must choose either a Democratic or Republican ballot and will become a registered member of that party. Those who wish to return to undeclared status after voting can do so by signing a change back to undeclared list or form before leaving the polling place. Only voters who are registered as undeclared can change back to undeclared at the polling place after voting.

Overseas and military voters

New Hampshire voters who live overseas and/or serve in the military outside of New Hampshire can vote in the New Hampshire Presidential Primary as Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) voters if they are at least 18 years old, United States citizens, and domiciled in New Hampshire.

Now is the time for UOCAVA voters to request their ballots using the Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) on FVAP.gov or by requesting one from their local clerk. Clerks are required by federal law to send ballots to UOCAVA voters with requests on file at least 45 days before the election.

UOCAVA voters who have filed FPCAs in the past years need to submit a new request now. An FPCA submitted in 2023 will apply to the 2024 Presidential Primary. Secretary Scanlan encourages UOCAVA voters to request their ballots be sent to them by email, if possible, to avoid postal delays.

After UOCAVA voters print out and complete their ballots, they must send them following the instructions provided to their local clerk's office by U.S. mail or commercial carrier. The clerk must receive the UOCAVA ballot by 5:00p.m. on election day for it to be counted.

More information can be found on the Secretary of State's website at https://www.sos.nh.gov/elections/uniformed-overseas

"For over 100 years, New Hampshire has held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, giving individuals who grew up with the fourth-grade dream of becoming president the opportunity to file and have their name put on the ballot," said Secretary of State David Scanlan. "We look forward to welcoming every aspiring presidential primary candidate to our office this October as we officially kick off the Granite State's favorite season."

Scanlan said he will announce the date of the New Hampshire Presidential Primary later this fall.