HB246: relative to availability of absentee voting applicant lists.

CHAPTER 12

HB 246 - FINAL VERSION

13feb03... 0072h

2003 SESSION

03-0733

03/09

HOUSE BILL 246

AN ACT relative to availability of absentee voting applicant lists.

SPONSORS: Rep. Patten, Carr 7; Rep. Merrow, Carr 6

COMMITTEE: Election Law

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill permits persons bearing notarized requests or copies of notarized requests from candidates whose names appear on the ballot to obtain copies of absentee voter lists.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

13feb03... 0072h

03-0733

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to availability of absentee voting applicant lists.

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

12:1 Sending Absentee Ballots; Availability of Lists. Amend RSA 657:15 to read as follows:

657:15 Sending Absentee Ballots. When the verification required by RSA 657:12 or 657:13 has been made, the clerk shall retain the application and, without delay, personally deliver or mail to the applicant the appropriate ballot and materials as described in RSA 657:7 through 657:9 or designate an assistant to deliver such materials to the applicant. The clerk may not designate as an assistant any person who is a candidate for nomination or office or who is working for such a candidate. Any ballots sent pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be mailed or delivered only by officials from the city or town clerk's office and delivered only to the applicant. If the address to which the absent voter's ballot is sent is outside the United States or Canada, such papers shall be sent by air mail. Said clerks shall keep lists of the names and addresses, arranged by voting places, of all applicants to whom official absent voting ballots have been sent, and shall identify those official absent voting ballots which have been returned to the clerk. Candidates whose names appear on the ballot and persons bearing notarized requests or copies of notarized requests from candidates whose names appear on the ballot may obtain copies of such lists; the lists shall not be available for public inspection at any time without a court order.

12:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: April 22, 2003)

(Effective Date: June 21, 2003)