Mail-in ballots go through a rigorous process in New Hampshire to protect the integrity of the election as much as possible.

By Kenneth Tran, Granite State News Collaborative 

With an unprecedented number of voters expected to use mail-in ballots this year, there’s a lot of apprehension about the security of absentee voting. Here’s what you should know about the vote-by-mail process. 

Where does an absentee ballot go when it is sent out?

When a voter fills an absentee ballot and sends it in the mail, it is sent to that voter’s respective town clerk. 

“The town clerk is the one that keeps track of where the absentee ballots are in that process [voting absentee],” said Deputy Secretary of State David Scanlan. 

Clerks keeps track of where all requested absentee ballots are by tracking them in a state database. When the voter sends out their absentee ballot and the clerk receives it, the clerk verifies the ballot has been received by entering that information into the state database.

Where are these ballots actually kept? Can anyone access them?

When the ballots are in the hands of the town clerk, they are never opened. They are strictly kept at the clerk’s office waiting to be delivered to the moderator, a person that ensures the integrity of a polling place and signs off ballots.

“Usually it’s [absentee ballots] in a locked closet or a safe until they are to be delivered to the moderator for processing,” said Scanlan..

Once the ballots are in the hands of the moderator, then the ballots are opened. The moderator will check the information on the affidavit that absentee voters sign to make sure it is complete. 

Due to COVID-19, this year is slightly different with when these ballots can be processed.

“This year, that process can take place on the Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Monday before the election,” said Scanlan. Municipalities can choose to start processing on those days or wait until the day of the election. 

When the time comes for the ballots to be counted, the moderator announces the name of the voter and opens the inner envelope containing the absentee ballot, without looking at the ballot. The ballot is then handed towards the ballot clerk, who crosses the name off and counts the ballot like any other ballot in a town, whether it be by a counting machine or hand-counted. 

When will we get results?

With such a massive influx of absentee ballots in the country due to COVID-19, there are worries that election night will become election week or even election month. In New Hampshire, a massive number of 200,834 absentee ballots have been requested. 

Despite that, Scanlan anticipates announcing the result of the New Hampshire election on Nov. 3.

“I would expect that the results will still be announced, on the night of the election. It might take a little bit longer than we're normally used to, but they will be released by the end of the night,” he said.

While voting will look a lot different this year, you can rest assured that your vote will count, and New Hampshire’s election night will be as integral and honest like all previous years.

Kenneth Tran is an Election SOS fellow. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org.