Article I: General Voting Procedures

§ 23-1 Voting machines.

[Amended 6-21-1977 by Ord. No. O-77-192; 9-14-1977 by Ord. No. O-77-218; 9-28-1979 by Ord. No. O-79-226; 1-8-1985 by Ord. No. O-84-111; 6-23-1987 by Ord. No. O-87-151; 12-23-1991 by Ord. No. O-91-114; 3-11-1997 by Ord. No. O-97-117; 6-26-2001 by Ord. No. O-01-156]

The City hereby adopts the provisions of RSA 656:40 pursuant to Resolution R-70131 approved January 15, 1971, by the Mayor and Aldermen and authorizing the use of voting machines for all elections in the City to the extent provided by law.

The City Clerk shall assume all duties provided by law as custodian of all voting machines owned by the City.

§ 23-2 Signs and handbills.

[Amended 8-14-2012 by Ord. No. O-12-012]

During the voting hours on all election days, no person who is a candidate for office or who is representing or working on behalf of a candidate, party, political organization, initiative, or ballot question for any election, shall be allowed to hold or carry any signs or handbills, distribute any handbills, post any political signs, or gather signatures in front of the entrance to the polling places in each ward and for a distance of 100 feet on each side of such entrance and/or exit.

In accordance with § 320-64, during the voting hours on election days, no person shall park a vehicle in front of the entrance to the polling place in each ward, for a distance of 100 feet on each side of the entrance, except for the purpose of voting.

During the voting hours on election days, no person shall park a trailer or vehicle with campaign signs that are mounted, attached or painted on said trailer or motor vehicle in the public parking lots of the school properties where voting is held, except for the purpose of voting.

Any person who violates any provision of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be subject to a fine of not more than $20.

§ 23-3 Disqualifications of certain persons as election officials; exceptions.

[Amended 9-22-1987 by Ord. No. O-87-166; 12-8-1987 by Ord. No. O-87-184]

Any person whose name appears on a ballot for an elective position, other than a position of an election official, shall be disqualified from performing duties as an election official in that election. A person so disqualified shall not be considered to have vacated any office but rather only to be absent therefrom. A temporary replacement shall be appointed as provided in RSA 658:19 through 658:22.

Notwithstanding Subsection A of this section, any person may serve as an election official even if he appears on the ballot as a candidate for an elective position other than election official if he is an unopposed candidate, or if he is one of the candidates for the elective position for which the total number of candidates on the ballot does not exceed the number of persons to be elected to that elective position at that election.

Members of the immediate family of the candidate and spouse (wife, husband, children, mother, father, sisters, brothers) whose name appears on the ballot in that ward or who has acknowledged and accepted a write-in candidacy shall be disqualified from performing the duties of an election official in that election.

§ 23-4 Compensation of election officials.

[Amended 3-12-1980 by Ord. No. O-80-19; 4-9-1985 by Ord. No. O-85-130; 9-14-1993 by Ord. No. O-93-24; 1-26-1999 by Ord. No. O-98-89; 4-22-2008 by Ord. No. O-08-14; 4-10-2012 by Ord. No. O-12-006; 7-12-2016 by Ord. No. O-16-013; 7-14-2020 by Ord. No. O-20-028; 4-9-2024 by Ord. No. O-24-012]

Election officials appointed or elected pursuant to state or local law shall be compensated as follows for all duties performed in connection with their respective offices, for each election held in the wards of the City:

(1)

Moderators and clerks, per election: $400.

(2)

Selectmen, per election: $365.

(3)

Ballot inspectors, assistant election officials and voter registrars, per election: $15 per hour prorated for 1/2 hours worked. Hourly rates will be limited to election day only.

(4)

Recount staff, scheduled by City Clerk’s Office: $15 per hour prorated for 1/2 hours worked.

For a presidential primary election or a state general election at which votes will be cast for the President of the United States, said compensation shall be provided for the number of inspectors of election (ballot inspectors) authorized under RSA 658:2 in each ward. Said appointments shall be equally divided between the two political parties which cast the largest number of votes for Governor in the state at the last previous general election. For all other elections, said compensation shall be provided to either four or six inspectors of election (ballot inspectors) in each ward, the number to be determined by the City Clerk, half each for the two political parties which cast the largest number of votes for Governor in the state at the last previous general election. Any additional inspectors appointed by the two political parties pursuant to RSA 658:2 shall not be compensated by the City but may be compensated in the amount provided herein by the political party requesting the inspector.

Moderators, ward clerks, selectmen, ballot inspectors, and voter registrars shall be compensated as outlined herein. All officials shall participate in a scheduled training which will be compensated at a flat rate of $25 for an in-person session to be provided by the City Clerk or designee. The City Clerk may approve viewing training materials to meet the training requirement, which will not be compensated. No compensation will be paid for pre-election ballot counting or pre-election set-up. All compensation will be processed after the date of the election.

§ 23-5 Compensation of Board of Voter Registrars.

[Amended 3-12-2024 by Ord. No. O-24-002]

The members of the Board of Voter Registrars shall be paid in full for their services in the following amounts, and at such times as hereinafter specified: The Clerk of such board shall receive annually $400, the other two members each $300 annually, all payable quarterly. Starting on July 1, 2024, the Clerk of the Board of Voter Registrars shall receive as compensation the sum of $800 per year, payable quarterly, and the other two members of the Board of Voter Registrars shall receive as compensation the sum of $600 per year, payable quarterly. On July 1 of each following year, the compensation of each member of the Board of Voter Registrars shall change by a factor equal to the average of the changes in the Consumer Price Index—Urban (CPI-U) of the preceding three calendar years as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

§ 23-6 Examination of returns.

[Amended 2-26-2008 by Ord. No. O-08-07]

The Board of Aldermen shall meet the Tuesday next following each municipal election at 8:00 p.m. The City Clerk shall enter upon the records the number of votes given in each ward for each person voted for as Mayor or persons voted for as members of the Board of Education, Board of Public Works, Board of Fire Commissioners, Board of Aldermen, and Aldermen at Large and shall lay before the meeting his records of such returns. The Board of Aldermen shall examine the same and declare the result and shall cause those elected to be notified of their election.

§ 23-7 Absentee ballots.

Each absentee ballot issued by the City Clerk shall be mailed or delivered in hand by the City Clerk or his duly appointed deputy to each individual voter who requests such a ballot and is duly qualified to vote in the election for which such ballot is issued.

It shall be a requirement that absentee ballots be returned to the City Clerk by the voter requesting the ballot either via United States mail or by causing it to be delivered to the City Clerk or his duly appointed deputy. No other method will be accepted.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: Original Sec. 7-8, adopted 3-28-2000 by Ord. No. O-00-13, which immediately followed this section and pertained to the boundaries of Ward 7, was superseded by a Charter amendment approved at an election held 11-4-2003.

§ 23-7.1 City wards.

[Added 7-12-2011 by Ord. No. O-11-73[1]; amended 12-28-2021 by Ord. No. O-21-081[2]]

The City of Nashua is hereby divided into the following nine wards:

Ward 1: Beginning at the intersection of the F.E. Everett Turnpike and Amherst Street and running in a northwesterly direction along the center line of Amherst Street to the Merrimack town line; thence, turning and running along the Nashua/Merrimack, thence Nashua/Hollis lines in a southerly direction to the intersection of the Nashua River; thence turning and running in a northeasterly direction along the center line of the Nashua River to the intersection of the F.E. Everett Turnpike; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of F.E. Everett Turnpike to the point of beginning.

Ward 2: Beginning at the intersection of Baldwin Street and Amherst Street and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Baldwin Street to the intersection of Prescott Street; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of Prescott Street to the intersection of Bennett Street; thence turning in a northerly direction and running along the center line of Bennett Street to the intersction of Amherst Street, thence turning westerly on Amherst Street and running along the center line to the intersection of Broad Street; thence running along the center line of Broad Street to the intersection of Sullivan Street; thence turning in a northerly direction and running along the center line of Sullivan Street to the intersection of Rodman Street and turning westerly and running along the center line of Rodman Street to the intersection of Berkshire Road; thence turning northerly and running along the center line of Berkshire Road to the intersection of Pine Hill Avenue; thence turning northwesterly and running along the center line of Pine Hill Avenue to Essex Street; thence turning northeasterly and running along the center line of Essex Street to Amherst Street; thence turning and running northwesterly along the center line of Amherst Street to the Merrimack town line; thence, turning northerly and following the Nashua City boundary generally in a northerly then easterly direction to the railroad tracks east of Route 3 which run parallel to the Merrimack River; thence turning and running southerly along the railroad tracks to the intersection of Pennichuck Street; thence turning in a westerly direction and running along the center line of Pennichuck Street to the intersection of Concord Street; thence turning in a southerly direction and running along the center line of Concord Street to the intersection of the Henri Bourque Highway; thence turning in a westerly direction and running along the center line of the Henri Bourque Highway to the intersection of Manchester Street; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Manchester Street to the intersection of Cushing Avenue; thence, turning in a southwesterly direction and running along the center line of Cushing Avenue to the intersection of Amherst Street; thence turning in a southeasterly direction along the center line of Amherst Street to Baldwin Street, the point of beginning.

Ward 3: Beginning at the intersection of the railroad tracks east of Route 3, which run parallel to the Merrimack River, and Pennichuck Street; thence turning in a westerly direction and running along the center line of Pennichuck Street to the intersection of Concord Street; thence turning in a southerly direction and running along the center line of Concord Street to the intersection of the Henri Bourque Highway; thence turning in a westerly direction and running along the center line of the Henri Bourque Highway to the intersection of Manchester Street; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Manchester Street to the intersection of Cushing Avenue; thence turning in a southwesterly direction and running along the center line of Cushing Avenue to the center line of Amherst Street; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Amherst Street to the intersection of Baldwin Street; thence turning southwesterly and running along the center line of Baldwin Street to Fairmount Street; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of Fairmount Street to the intersection of the Veterans Memorial Parkway; thence, turning in a southerly direction and running along the center line of the Veterans Memorial Parkway to the center line of the Nashua River; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of the Nashua River to its intersection with Canal and Bridge Streets; thence, turning westerly and running along the center line of Bridge Street to the center line of the Merrimack River; thence, turning northerly along the center line of the Merrimack River to the intersection of the Nashua City/Merrimack town line.

Ward 4: Beginning at the intersection of Amherst Street and the F.E. Everett Turnpike and running in a southerly direction along the center line of said F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of West Hollis Street; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of West Hollis Street to the intersection of Badger Street; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Badger Street to the intersection of Kinsley Street; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of Kinsley Street to the intersection of Vine Street; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Vine Street to the intersection of Lake Street; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of Lake Street to the intersection of Main Street; thence, turning and running northerly along the center line of Main Street to the intersection of East Hollis Street; thence, tunning easterly on East Hollis Street and running along the center line of East Hollis Street to the intersection of Hudson Street; thence, turning westerly and running along the center line of Hudson Street to Commercial Street; thence turning northerly and running along the center line of Commercial Street to the intersection of Temple Street; thence, turning easterly and running along the center line of Temple Street to the intersection of Amory Street; thence, turning northerly and running along the center line of Amory Street to Union Street; thence, turning easterly and northerly along the center line of Union Street to Bridge Street; thence, turning westerly and running along the center line of Bridge Street to the center line of the Nashua River; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of the Nashua River to the Veterans Memorial Parkway; thence, turning northwesterly and running along the center line of the Veterans Memorial Parkway to the intersection of Fairmount Street; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of Fairmount Street to the intersection of Baldwin Street; thence, turning northerly and running along the center line of Baldwin Street to the intersection of Prescott Street; thence, turning onto Prescott Street and running westerly along the center line to the intersection of Bennett Street; thence turning northeasterly onto Bennett Street and running along the center line to Amherst Street; thence turning westerly on Amherst Street to the intersection of Broad Street; thence turning in a westerly direction along the center line of Broad Street to the intersection of Sullivan Street; thence turning in a northerly direction and running along the center line of Sullivan Street to the intersection of Rodman Street; thence turning westerly and running along the center line of Rodman Street to Berkshire Road; thence turning northeasterly and running along the center line of Berkshire Road to Pine Hill Avenue; thence turning northwesterly and running along the center line of Pine Hill Avenue to Essex Street; thence turning northeasterly and running along Essex Street to Amherst Street; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of Amherst Street to the point of beginning.

Ward 5: Beginning at the intersection of the Nashua River and the F.E. Everett Turnpike; and running in a southerly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of the Main Dunstable Road; thence, turning and running in a southwesterly direction along the center line of Main Dunstable Road to the intersection of Conant Road; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Conant Road to the intersection of Forsythia Drive; thence turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of Forsythia Drive to the intersection of Hibiscus Way; thence, turning easterly, then southerly, running along the center line of Hibiscus Way to the intersection of Cherrywood Drive; thence, turning in a westerly and southwesterly direction and running along the center line of Cherrywood Drive to Ridge Road; thence, turning easterly and running along the center line of Ridge Road to Salmon Brook; thence, turning southerly and running along the center line of Salmon Brook to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line; thence, turning and running along the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line in a westerly direction to the Nashua City/Hollis town line; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the Nashua City/Hollis town line to the Nashua River; thence, following the Nashua River in a northeasterly direction to the point of beginning.

Ward 6: Beginning at the intersection of Main Street and Lake Street and running in a westerly direction along the center line of Lake Street to the intersection of Vine Street; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of Vine Street to the intersection of Kinsley Street; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of Kinsley Street to the intersection of Badger Street; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of Badger Street to the intersection of West Hollis Street; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the center line of West Hollis Street to the intersection of the F.E. Everett Turnpike; thence, turning and running in a southeasterly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to Main Dunstable Road; thence, running southwesterly along the center line of Main Dunstable Road to Northeastern Boulevard; thence, running easterly along the center line of Northeastern Boulevard to Harris Road and continuing easterly along the center line of Harris Road to East Dunstable Road; thence running northerly along the center line of East Dunstable Road to the F.E. Everett Turnpike; thence turning and running in a southeasterly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of the Daniel Webster Highway, Exit 3, southbound off ramp; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of the Exit 3, southbound off ramp to the Daniel Webster Highway; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway to Main Street; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of Main Street to the point of beginning.

Ward 7: Beginning at the intersection of U.S. Route 3 and the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border and running northerly along the center line of the highway to Spit Brook Road; thence, turning easterly along the center line of Spit Brook Road to Daniel Webster Highway; thence, turning in a northerly direction along the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway to the Sagamore Bridge and the Circumferential Highway; thence turning and running westerly along the center line of the Circumferential Highway to U.S. Route 3; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of the Daniel Webster Highway, Exit 3, southbound off ramp; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of the Exit 3, southbound off ramp to the Daniel Webster Highway; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway to the point where it intersects with Main Street and South Main Street; thence, continuing in a northerly direction along the center line of Main Street to the intersection of Main Street and East Hollis Street; thence running along the center line of East Hollis Street to the intersection of Hudson Street; thence turning onto Hudson Street and running westerly to Commercial Street; thence, turning northerly and running along the center line of Commercial Street to Temple Street; thence turning easterly and running along the center line of Temple Street to the intersection of Amory Street; thence, turning northerly and running along the center line of Amory Street to Union Street; thence, turning easterly and northerly along the center line of Union Street to Bridge Street; thence, turning easterly and running along the center line of Bridge Street to the center line of the Merrimack River and the Nashua City/Hudson town line; thence, turning and running southerly along the Nashua City/Hudson town line to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border; thence, turning westerly along the New Hampshire/Massachusetts border to the point of beginning.

Ward 8: Beginning at the intersection of Main Street, South Main Street and the Daniel Webster Highway and running in a southerly, then westerly direction along the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway to the intersection of the F.E. Everett Turnpike; thence, turning and running in a southerly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of the Circumferential Highway; thence, turning and running easterly along the center line of the Circumferential Highway to the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway; thence, turning and running southerly along the center line of the Daniel Webster Highway to Spit Brook Road; thence, turning westerly along the center line of Spit Brook Road to U.S. Route 3; thence, turning south and running along the center line of U.S. Route 3 to the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line to the intersection of the Brook Village Road census tract; thence, turning north on Brook Village Road and running along the center line of Brook Village Road to the intersection of Strawberry Bank Road; thence, turning and running westerly along the center line of Strawberry Bank Road to the intersection of the Strawberry Bank Road/Chadwick Circle connector; thence, running northwesterly on the connector to Chadwick Circle; thence turning northerly on Chadwick Circle and running along the center line to Bay Ridge Drive; thence turning northwesterly and running along the center line of Bay Ridge Drive to the paved walkway connecting Bay Ridge Drive and Oak Hill Lane; thence, turning onto the paved walkway and continuing in a northerly direction along the center line of the walkway to the intersection of Oak Hill Lane; thence, continuing northerly and running along the center line of Oak Hill Lane to Spit Brook Road; thence, turning westerly and running along the center line of Spit Brook Road to the intersection of East Dunstable Road; thence, turning and running in a northerly direction along the center line of East Dunstable Road to Lamb Road; thence, turning westerly and continuing along the center line of Lamb Road to Searles Road and continuing westerly along the center line of Searles Road to the intersection of Salmon Brook; thence, turning northerly and continuing along the center line of Salmon Brook to the intersection of New Searles Road; thence, turning northeasterly along the center line of New Searles Road to the intersection of East Dunstable Road; thence, continuing northerly along the center line of East Dunstable Road to the F.E. Everett Turnpike; thence, turning and running in an easterly direction along the center line of the F.E. Everett Turnpike to the intersection of Main Street, South Main Street and the Daniel Webster Highway, the point of beginning.

Ward 9: Beginning at the intersection of Harris Road and East Dunstable Road and running in a southerly direction along the center line of East Dunstable Road to New Searles Road; thence, turning southwesterly along the center line of New Searles Road to the intersection of Salmon Brook; thence, continuing southerly along the center line of Salmon Brook to the intersection of Searles Road; thence, turning easterly along the center line of Searles Road to the intersection of Lamb Road; thence, continuing easterly along the center line of Lamb Road to the intersection of East Dunstable Road; thence, continuing easterly along the center line of East Dunstable Road to the intersection of Spit Brook Road; thence, continuing easterly along the center line of Spit Brook Road to the intersection of Oak Hill Lane; thence turning and running southerly along the center line of Oak Hill Lane to its end and an intersection with a paved walkway connecting Oak Hill Lane to Bay Ridge Drive, and running along the center line of the walkway to its intersection with Bay Ridge Drive; thence continuing in a southerly and southeasterly direction and running along the center line of Bay Ridge Drive to Chadwick Circle; thence turning in a southerly direction and running along the center line of Chadwick Circle to the intersection of the Strawberry Bank Road/Chadwick Circle connector; thence turning easterly onto the connector and continuing in an easterly direction along the center line to Strawberry Bank Road; thence, continuing along the center line of Strawberry Bank Road to the intersection of Brook Village Road; thence turning southerly and running along the center line of Brook Village Road to the Massachusetts state line; thence, turning and running in a westerly direction along the New Hampshire/Massachusetts state line to the intersection of Salmon Brook; thence, turning northerly along the center line of Salmon Brook to the intersection of Ridge Road; thence, turning westerly along the center line of Ridge Road to the intersection of Cherrywood Drive; thence, turning northerly and running along the center line of Cherrywood Drive to the intersection of Hibiscus Way; thence turning northerly and bearing westerly along the center line of Hibiscus Way to Forsythia Drive; thence, turning in a northerly direction and running along the center line of Forsythia Drive to the intersection of Conant Road; thence turning northeasterly on Conant Road and running along the center line of Conant Road to the intersection of Main Dunstable Road; thence, turning and running in a northeasterly direction along the center line of Main Dunstable Road to Northeastern Boulevard; thence, turning and running in a southeasterly direction along the center line of Northeastern Boulevard to Harris Road, then continuing easterly along Harris Road to East Dunstable Road and the point of beginning.

[1]

Editor's Note: This ordinance also stated the following: "Notwithstanding any changes in the ward boundaries, the City and Ward officers serving in office, or elected to office, at the time of passage of this resolution shall continue in said offices until the end of the terms for which they were elected. Any elections to fill vacancies in the General Court shall be held on the basis of the ward lines as they existed for the election of November 18, 2010, until the effective date of the NH General Court’s redistricting following the 2010 U.S. Census. Any State Representative or State Senator in office on the effective date of this act does not lose his or her eligibility for that office because of the changes in ward boundaries made by this ordinance."

[2]

Editor's Note: This ordinance also stated the following: "Notwithstanding any changes in the ward boundaries, the City and Ward officers serving in office, or elected to office, at the time of passage of this ordinance shall continue in said offices until the end of the terms for which they were elected. Any elections to fill vacancies in the General Court shall be held on the basis of the ward lines as they existed for the election of November 3, 2020, until the effective date of the New Hampshire General Court's redistricting following the 2020 U.S. Census. Any State Representative or State Senator in office on the effective date of this act does not lose his or her eligibility for that office because of the changes in ward boundaries made by this ordinance."