DOVER, N.H. – Old election ballots are taking up space in town and city halls across New England.

Laws require clerks to keep federal ballots for 22 months before destroying them, in case anyone requests a recount.

In New Hampshire, state law requires clerks to hold onto state and local election ballots for two months. In Maine, clerks must keep all ballots for the full 22 months.

Belmont’s clerk is storing five large boxes full of ballots from the presidential primaries alone. Dover’s city clerk is storing nearly 20,000 ballots from the November elections.

Town officials reported different plans for disposing of the ballots. Some will be shredded, others incinerated. Many ballots will go straight to the dump.