NH expects average voter turnout for Tuesday’s primary

A voting sign leans against a wall at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

A voting sign leans against a wall at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

City HVAC technition Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

City HVAC technition Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

City Public Properties staff for Concord put together the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

City Public Properties staff for Concord put together the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

A notice for primary voters on the door of the Green Street Community Center in Concord.

A notice for primary voters on the door of the Green Street Community Center in Concord. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

A voting sign on the door of the Green Street Community Center in Concord.

A voting sign on the door of the Green Street Community Center in Concord. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024.

City HVAC technician Sean Burch of the Public Properties staff for Concord puts the front covers on the voting booths for Ward 4 at the Green Street Community Center on Monday, September 9, 2024. GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

By CHARLOTTE MATHERLY

Concord Monitor

Published: 09-09-2024 6:01 PM

Voter turnout in Tuesday’s state primary election is expected to exceed 250,000, a number somewhat on par with previous years.

Secretary of State David Scanlan predicts 147,500 Republicans and 103,500 Democrats will cast their ballots, he said in a press release.

This prediction is relatively close to what New Hampshire’s seen in recent years, although not all parties or districts have competitive primaries every time.

In 2022, 147,501 Republican and 96,275 Democrat ballots were cast.

In 2020, 147,237 Republican and 155,956 Democrat ballots were cast.

In 2018, 100,590 Republican and 126,474 Democrat ballots were cast.

In 2016, 113,556 Republican and 77,193 Democrat ballots were cast.

New Hampshire has a large share of undeclared voters – 336,002 – who haven’t registered in affiliation with a party.

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As of Sept. 5, Scanlan said, there were 300,672 registered Republicans and 258,824 registered Democrats.

There are several high-profile vacancies on the ballot, including the governor and New Hampshire’s second congressional district. Gov. Chris Sununu, who’s held the corner office since 2017, and Rep. Annie Kuster, who’s served in Washington since 2013, aren’t seeking reelection. For each seat, five candidates are vying for their parties’ nominations to replace them.

Several races for the Executive Council are contested, too. Both parties have a primary in District 2 to replace Cinde Warmington, who’s running for governor. District 4 has a crowded Republican primary with six candidates in the running, and District 5 has a race between two Democrats.

In the legislature, only a few dozen primaries are contested out of the 424 seats that will be on the ballot statewide in November.

Upper Valley polling places and times:

Canaan — Fire Station, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Charlestown — Charlestown Senior Center, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Claremont Ward 1 — Middle School, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Claremont Ward 2 — Middle School, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Claremont Ward 3 — Disnard Elementary, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Cornish — Town Hall, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Croydon — Town Hall, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dorchester — Town House, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Enfield — Community Building, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Grafton — Fire Station, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Grantham — Town Hall, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Hanover — High School, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lebanon Ward 1 — Former Seminary Hill School, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lebanon Ward 2 — Methodist Church, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lebanon Ward 3 — City Hall, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Lyme — Lyme Community School, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

New London — Town Hall, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Newport — Middle High School, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Orange — Town House, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Orford — Town Office, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Piermont — Old Church Building, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Plainfield — Elementary School, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Springfield — Meetinghouse, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Unity — Town Hall, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.