Newest voters registering in smaller numbers in N.H, report says
Oct. 26—CONCORD — Voter registration among 18-year-olds in New Hampshire's largest communities varies widely and lags far behind other metropolitan areas in the U.S., according to the new report from a nonpartisan group.
As of a month ago, Keene (3.5%) and Manchester (5.5%) had the lowest voter registration among this age group while Portsmouth (19.4%) and Lebanon (20.2%) were the highest of the 10 largest communities in New Hampshire, The Civics Center surveyed in its report.
By that time, 13.2% of 18-year-olds had signed up to vote in New Hampshire while metropolitan areas in Florida, North Carolina and other large states had at least twice that number.
This study used voter registration information from Secretary of State David Scanlan's office and combined it with age-based population data from the American Community Survey, an annual demographic study from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The 10 communities in the state examined were Derry, Lebanon, Laconia, Dover, Nashua, Portsmouth, Rochester, Manchester, Concord, and Keene.
The Census Bureau concluded that 34,000 residents in New Hampshire are turning 18 in time to cast a ballot in the Nov. 8 general election.
For example in Manchester, the study found as of Sept. 21, only 67 had registered to vote out of an estimated, 1,223 18-year-olds in the city.
Both political parties have launched efforts since the summer to convince high school seniors to register to vote.
"It's extremely important for young people to vote in each and every election. Young New Hampshire Democrats are very active voters, and the chair of the National High School Democrats is our very own Samay Sahu from Nashua," said Democratic Party Chairman Raymond Buckley.
"Our High School Democrats and our college campus organizers focus their efforts on encouraging young voters to turn out, and that's something we're very proud of."
The New Hampshire Republican State Committee did not respond to a request for comment on this story.
New registrations went up this summer
These organizing efforts at high schools and summer programs paid off as the study found that back in June only 8.5% of 18-year-olds had signed up.
The cities with the biggest gains since June were Portsmouth (11.3%), Lebanon (7.2%) and Concord (7.1%).
Started in 2019, The Civics Center in Los Angeles began with a mission to try and mobilize more young people to vote in elections.
New Hampshire is the ninth state where it did this analysis of 18-year-old voting prospects.
The center said Wisconsin was the only state it had studied during 2022 with a lower uptake of new 18-year-old voters.
As with all voters, younger residents typically turn out in much bigger numbers to cast ballots during presidential elections than midterm elections.
Nationally, in every presidential election from 2004 to 2020 more than 75% of registered 18- to 24-year-olds have voted.
After a push before the 2018 midterms, 66% of youth (ages 18-24) nationwide who registered to vote did turn out, the center said.
Young people new to the process in New Hampshire can take advantage of election day registration that permits any non-voter to sign up at the polls.
Those under 18 who want to register before that can register six-to-13 days before the election depending on the city or town where they resident.
The earliest of these deadlines to register before the election is Oct. 27.
To register, new voters should bring proof of identity, age, citizenship and their physical address.
Those without identification, however, can still register and vote at the polls if they sign an affidavit under penalty of perjury that they are eligible to vote.
