HB188: relative to listing names on state election ballots.

HB 188 - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-0707

03/09

HOUSE BILL 188

AN ACT relative to listing names on state election ballots.

SPONSORS: Rep. Davidson, Rock 82

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill requires that incumbents be listed before non-incumbents on state election ballots. This bill also eliminates party groupings of candidates on general election ballots.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0707

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to listing names on state election ballots.

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

1 State General Election; Listing Candidates on Ballot. Amend RSA 656:5 to read as follows:

656:5 Listing Candidates on Ballot. The names of all candidates nominated in accordance with the election laws shall be arranged by office in accordance with the provisions of RSA 656:7. The names of candidates for any one office shall not be split into more than one column. All candidates for the same office shall be placed on separate lines within a separate box. [The name of each candidate shall be grouped according to the party which nominates the candidate, and the names of the candidates of the party which received the largest number of votes at the last preceding state general election shall be listed first.] The names of the candidates shall be printed with the given name first. Incumbent candidates shall be listed before non-incumbent candidates, and the candidates shall be listed alphabetically according to their surnames within each [party] grouping. The name of the party which nominates the candidate shall be printed near the candidate's name, but no candidate may appear on the ballot more than once as a candidate for the same office.

2 State Primary Election; Order of Names. Amend RSA 656:24 to read as follows:

656:24 Order of Names. With the exception of the office of state representative, whenever there are 2 or more candidates for nomination to the same office, the names of such candidates shall be alternated on the state primary election ballots used so that each name shall appear thereon as nearly as may be an equal number of times at the top, at the bottom, and in each intermediate place, if any, of the list in which it belongs. Names of candidates for nomination to the office of state representative shall be listed so that incumbent candidates are listed before non-incumbent candidates, and candidates are arranged in the alphabetical order of their surnames within each grouping.

3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.