Election Law Complaints

The Attorney General's Office enforces New Hampshire's election laws. RSA 7:6-c; RSA 664:18.

The Attorney General's Office also enforces certain Federal voting rights. This Office has been designated to provide a uniform, nondiscriminatory procedure for the resolution of any complaints alleging a violation of any provision of Title III of the Federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, including a violation that has occurred, is occurring, or is about to occur.

You may contact the Attorney General's Office by phone or email to discuss a complaint before formally filing an Election Law Complaint Form. Federal law requires that Title III complaints be submitted in writing. You must swear to the complaint in front of a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace. For Federal complaints, the Attorney General's Office has a duty to resolve the complaint within ninety days of receipt of the written complaint or to provide the complainant with the opportunity to bring the complaint before the Ballot Law Commission, which must then resolve the complaint within sixty days.

Use the same form for either State or Federal election law complaints. Federal complaints must be sworn to in front of a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace. Federal complaints receive priority because of the time deadline imposed by Federal law. State law complaints must be signed, but need not be sworn to in front of a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace. Investigations of State law complaints may take more than ninety days to complete.

Federal laws address a wide variety of election issues including voting rights, campaign contribution and expenditure reporting, and political advertising that relates to or references candidates for federal elections. The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office has responsibility for enforcing the federal rights established in Title III of the Help America Vote Act of 2002. Complaints regarding the financing of federal campaigns, contributions to federal campaigns or federal political action committees, expenditures related to federal campaigns, or advertising issues related to federal campaigns should be made to Federal authorities. Feel free to contact our Office and we will refer you to the appropriate Federal authority.

 

Election Law

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How to File A Complaint

  1. If you have a concern, but are uncertain whether it is an election law violation, call or email the Attorney General's Office.
  2. Complete an Election Law Complaint Form. Complaint forms are also available at the Attorney General's Office and the Secretary of State's Office.
  3. If you are complaining about a violation of a right established by Title III of the Help America Vote Act, have your signature notarized. It is not necessary to swear to your complaint in front of a Notary Public or Justice of the Peace for complaints of violations of State law.
  4. Mail, fax, or deliver the form to the Attorney General's Office.
  5. An attorney will review your complaint and an acknowledgement letter will be sent to you, typically within one week.
  6. If you are making a complaint of a Federal law violation, you have a right to have the complaint resolved within ninety days. You have a right to a hearing with a record before an administrative hearing officer from the Attorney General's Office. If the complaint is not resolved within ninety days, you have a right to bring the complaint to the Ballot Law Commission.
  7. Contact information for the Office of the Attorney General:
    Office of the Attorney General
    1 Granite Place South
    Concord, NH 03301-6397
    Telephone: (603) 271-3658 or 1-866-868-3703
    Fax: (603) 223-6229
    E-Mail: electionlaw@doj.nh.gov