Who and what is on the ballot in New Hampshire this November

Election Day is almost upon us! What better way to prepare than to find out what's actually on the ballot in New Hampshire on November 5th?

Here's a guide to what you'll find when you go to the voting booth (or fill out your mail-in ballot) this year.

Remember: The exact candidates listed on your ballot depend on where you live. However, you can look up a sample ballot for full details.

Who and what will be on the ballot in November 2024

President and Vice President: You've probably heard that candidates for these positions make a lot of promises. But have you ever wondered what the president can actually do once elected? If you have about 26 minutes, our friends at Civics 101 can explain the basics of presidential powers.

governor: New Hampshire voters have a chance to elect a new governor as incumbent Gov. Chris Sununu steps down after four terms. For a reality check on what kind of power New Hampshire's governors have — and what they don't — check out this article from the NHPR archives. If you're still deciding who to vote for, check out our recent interviews with Kelly Ayotte and Joyce Craig or listen again to this candidate forum.

Representative in Congress: New Hampshire has two seats in Congress; You have the opportunity to select a person to represent your home district. (For more on the work of our U.S. representatives, see a brief explanation from Civics 101 here.) Learn more about 1st District candidates Chris Pappas and Russell Prescott and 2nd District candidates Maggie Goodlander and Lily Tang Williams.

Executive Council: You will be asked to select one person to represent you on this five-member panel. The council has final say on major government contracts, state-level positions such as judges and commissioners, and even accepts applications for pardons. It has always had great power, but it hasn't always been in the spotlight – that has changed in recent years as more politicians see it as a way to raise their national profile.

State Senator and State Representative: You will be asked to select a person to represent you in the 24-member State Senate. And depending on where you live, you may vote for multiple candidates for the House of Representatives. (There are 400, after all.) Find out more about our civil legislation here.

District level positions: If you've ever wondered what exactly an estate registry is, you're not alone. Your ballot could include a race for that position as well as county sheriff, county commissioner, county treasurer, district attorney and registry of deeds. It is not uncommon for candidates to run unopposed for some of these positions, so the same name may appear twice under two different parties.

Constitutional amendment: We don't always have a ballot question, but this year we have one on the ballot involving age limits for judges in New Hampshire. In plain language, this question is about whether we should change the state constitution to ban people over the age of 75 from serving as judges. (Currently, the age limit is 70.) Vote “yes” if you think we should raise the age to 75, and vote “no” if you think that age should stay at 70 years. Find out more about the topic here. (Note: The ballot question mentions a retirement age of 70 for sheriffs – but the change will have no impact because the retirement age for this position is already 70.)

There you have it! Don't you feel better prepared? For more information about what to expect when voting, see our complete voter guide. If you have additional questions about this year's election that NHPR could answer for you, email us at [email protected].