HB120: (New Title) relative to sessions for the correction of the checklist and sessions for changes of party registration.

CHAPTER 27

HB 120 - FINAL VERSION

12mar03...0545h

2003 SESSION

03-0309

03/09

HOUSE BILL 120

AN ACT relative to sessions for the correction of the checklist and sessions for changes of party registration.

SPONSORS: Rep. Flanagan, Rock 78

COMMITTEE: Election Law

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill shortens to ½ hour the minimum required length for sessions for the correction of the checklist and sessions for changes of party registration. This bill also deletes certain obsolete references.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

12mar03...0545h

03-0309

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to sessions for the correction of the checklist and sessions for changes of party registration.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

27:1 Cities and Wards; Voters and Checklists; Reference Deleted. Amend RSA 44:5 to read as follows:

44:5 Voters and Checklists. Any person having his or her domicile within the city, qualified to vote as provided in RSA 654:1-654:2 and 654:4-654:6 and whose name is on the checklist shall be qualified to vote in city elections. The supervisors of the checklist shall prepare, post, and revise the checklist for city elections in the same manner as for a state election as provided in RSA 654:25-654:31 [except that the session provided for in RSA 654:27 to be held on the Tuesday 3 weeks prior to the election shall not be required].

27:2 Voters and Checklists; Session for Correction. Amend RSA 654:27 to read as follows:

654:27 Session for Correction. In cities and towns, the supervisors of the checklist shall be in session for the correction of the checklist at some suitable place in the city or town on the Saturday 10 days prior to the election and upon which all hearings shall be finally closed; provided that if the Saturday falls on a holiday weekend, that session shall be held on Tuesday, 7 days prior to the election, between 7:00 p.m. and [8:00] 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours. Notice of the day, hour, and place of each session of the board of supervisors shall be given upon the checklists first posted and shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the city or town at least 7 days prior to each such session. The reconvening of any session which has been adjourned shall not require the publication of notice.

27:3 Voters and Checklists; Procedure. Amend RSA 654:28 to read as follows:

654:28 Procedure. The supervisors of the checklist shall hear all applications for a correction of the checklist and the evidence submitted thereon and shall correct it according to their best knowledge so that it contains only the names of those persons qualified to vote at said election. The names of all persons not qualified to vote at the time of any session, but who shall clearly be qualified to vote on election day, may be added to the checklist at that session. The session which is held on the Saturday 10 days prior to election day shall be held as a minimum requirement between 11:00 a.m. and [12:00 p.m.] 11:30 a.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for additional hours. No additions or corrections shall be made after the Saturday session, except as provided in RSA 659:12 or RSA 654:27, provided, however, that if the Saturday falls on a holiday weekend, that session shall be held on Tuesday, 7 days prior to the election, between 7:00 p.m. and [8:00] 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours. The additions and corrections resulting from such session shall be made to the previously posted checklist on or before midnight on the succeeding Friday either by additions or corrections to said checklist or by posting a new corrected checklist. Notice of such additions or corrections to the checklist shall also be given to the town or city clerk.

27:4 Voters and Checklists; Hearings on Alterations to Party Registration. Amend RSA 654:32 to read as follows:

654:32 Hearings on Alterations to Party Registration. Before each state or presidential primary election, the supervisors of the checklist shall be in session before each primary for the change of registration of legal voters as provided in RSA 654:34 or 654:34-a or both. Before the presidential primary, the session shall be on the Friday preceding the first day of the filing period, between [7] 7:00 p.m. and [9] 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours. Before the state primary election, the session shall be on Tuesday before the first Wednesday in June between [7] 7:00 p.m. and [9] 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours.

27:5 Town Elections; Voters and Checklists. Amend RSA 669:5 to read as follows:

669:5 Voters and Checklists. An updated checklist shall be used at all town meetings and elections for the same purposes a checklist is used at a state election and to insure that only qualified voters participate in town meeting discussions and votes, by voice or otherwise. The supervisors shall prepare, post, and revise the checklist for a town meeting or election in the same manner as for a state election as provided in RSA 654:25-654:31, provided, however, that the session for correction shall be held on Saturday 6 to 13 days prior to the election. The supervisors shall also hold one session for correction of the checklist on the day immediately prior to the first day of the filing period for candidates for town office, as provided in RSA 669:19 or 669:42, as applicable, from [7] 7:00 p.m. to [8] 7:30 p.m. and at the discretion of the supervisors for extended hours.

27:6 School District Elections; Checklist. Amend RSA 671:15 to read as follows:

671:15 Checklist. An updated checklist shall be used at all school district elections and meetings for the same purposes as checklists are used by towns as provided in RSA 669:5. Any school district which is coextensive with the town in which it is located may, at an annual meeting under an article in the warrant for such meeting, vote to adopt as the checklist for school meetings the checklist of the town. In case of such adoption, the supervisors of the town checklist, acting as supervisors of the school district checklist, shall correct, certify, and post the checklist for the district as provided in RSA 654:25-654:31. [The session for correction of the checklist required by RSA 654:27 to be held 3 weeks prior to an election shall not be required for school district elections.] The session required to be held 10 days before the school district meeting or election may coincide with the session for correction held for the town meeting or election provided that the school meeting or election coincides with the town meeting or election. If the school meeting or election is held at a time other than the town meeting or election, a separate session for correction of the checklist shall be required to be held 10 days prior to the school district meeting or election.

27:7 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: May 2, 2003)

(Effective Date: July 1, 2003)