Today's New Hampshire presidential primary will be the first in the primary's 44 year history in which out-of-state students can vote without establishing permanent residency in the Granite State.
Out-of-state students who are registered to vote in their home states simply need to bring a form of personal identification, such as a driver's license or passport, and a postmarked envelope addressed to their New Hampshire residence to vote in the primary, said Hap Hinman, New Hampshire Collegiate Director of the Dole campaign.
"They will ask you to sign an affidavit saying that you won't vote in your home state's primary," said Hinman. "It won't make you a resident."
Hinman said students need not vote in their own political party's primary.
"If you're a registered Democrat in Boston, you can register to vote as an Independent or a Republican in Hanover," he said. "You're only a Republican or Democrat for two minutes."
Hinman said New Hampshire adopted the current system of primary-day registration since it did not want to adopt the so-called "Motor Voter" law, which forced states to make registering to vote easier by enabling citizens to register at most public offices.
Although the state was sued by the League of Women Voters and the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, Hinman said a continuing resolution issued by President Bill Clinton upheld the New Hampshire policy.
Hinman said students' votes will have the greatest impact in the New Hampshire primary.
"A few hundred votes could decide the election here," he said. "Their votes here will be more influential."
The Hanover polls will take place at the Frances C. Richmond Middle School, located on 41 Lebanon Street, next to Hanover High School. The polls will be open between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Officials from the Hanover Town Clerk's Office and the New Hampshire Division of Elections were unavailable for comment due to yesterday's government holiday.
