In An Era Of Election Doubts, Survey Shows NH Voters Keep The Faith

By Michael Graham, NH Journal

MAGA Republicans say the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump, and progressive Democrats tell pollsters a Trump threat to democracy is their biggest concern.

But a new poll shows that in New Hampshire, confidence in the state’s election system remains high.

The Democracy Defense Project (DDP) survey, conducted in late February 2026, found that 82 percent of Granite Staters express strong confidence in how New Hampshire conducts its elections. That stands in stark contrast to national trends, where, according to a PBS News/NPR/Marist poll, just 66 percent of Americans say the same.

“Granite Staters across the political spectrum overwhelmingly approve and believe in our local election laws and process,” said DDP New Hampshire co-chairs Democrat and former Ambassador Richard Swett and former Republican Congressman Charlie Bass.

“Regardless of who you vote for or what party you may or may not belong to, our citizens have faith in our system of local control of elections. New Hampshire voters believe in New Hampshire elections and do not favor any federal intervention or control.”

In addition to a common belief in the integrity of state elections, the DDP poll highlights a bipartisan consensus in the Granite State around many ballot-security policies:

• 98 percent support locking and securing paper ballots.
• 94 percent support ensuring voting machines remain disconnected from the internet.
• 79 percent support requiring all ballots to be counted on election night.
• 76 percent support requiring voter identification to vote.

Interestingly, all four Democrats in the federal delegation oppose voter ID requirements and have voted to either block them or pass federal laws overriding them.

The DDP report also finds that “more than two-thirds of those surveyed expressed support for a 2024 law requiring anyone registering to vote for the first time in New Hampshire to bring proof of citizenship, such as a passport or birth certificate, including those registering on the same day as the election.”

Granite State Democrats overwhelmingly oppose adding this requirement to voter registration.

Despite the partisan divide on some issues, Swett believes defending democracy rises above party. And he uses his work with Republican Charlie Bass as proof.

“Fair and transparent elections are the foundation upon which a good democracy is built and maintained. The fact that former adversaries can join forces to emphasize this fact tells you how important we think this is!”

And while the press often presents concerns about voting irregularities as a GOP issue, the new DDP poll finds a majority of Democrats and independents say they have worries as well.

Overall, 65 percent of New Hampshire voters say they are concerned that voting irregularities could imperil legitimate election outcomes in the future. That includes 84 percent of Republicans, 58 percent of Democrats, and 57 percent of independents.

Perhaps the most “New Hampshire” finding in the data is resistance to outside interference. The poll found that 78 percent of voters oppose the federal government taking over state elections, and 58 percent oppose turning over state election data to the U.S. Department of Justice.

What makes New Hampshire so different?

“New Hampshire has never lost sight of the fundamentals of conducting a good election,” said Secretary of State David Scanlan.

“We have a single Election Day with results reported at the end of the night. Registration takes place in front of your own election official. Absentee voting is permitted with an excuse. Locally elected officials run the polling place. Every vote is cast on a paper ballot.”

At the same time, Scanlan warns against complacency. He’s participated in multiple public events answering voters’ questions and explaining the state’s election system.

“Maintaining voter confidence is an ongoing process. Transparency is critical to the election process, including post-election audits of electronic equipment and the proper reconciliation of election results.”

This story was originally published by the NH Journal, an online news publication dedicated to providing fair, unbiased reporting on, and analysis of, political news of interest to New Hampshire. For more stories from the NH Journal, visit NHJournal.com.