HB306: relative to the procedure for determining the order of names on the general election ballot.

HB 306 - AS INTRODUCED

2003 SESSION

03-0754

03/09

HOUSE BILL 306

AN ACT relative to the procedure for determining the order of names on the general election ballot.

SPONSORS: Rep. Burling, Sull 19; Rep. J. Pratt, Ches 24; Rep. Craig, Hills 50

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill provides that the order of names on the state general election ballot shall be determined by a random drawing held by the secretary of state.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03-0754

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to the procedure for determining the order of names on the general election ballot.

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

1 State General Election; Listing Candidates on Ballot; Order of Names. 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[, and]. On the regular business day next following the date by which vacancies must be filled pursuant to RSA 655:37, the secretary of state shall hold a public drawing in the secretary of state's office to pick randomly one letter of the alphabet for that election year. The candidates shall be listed alphabetically according to their surnames [within each party grouping]. The letter picked for that election year shall be treated as the first letter of the alphabet, and alphabetization of candidates' surnames shall follow from that letter forward to the letter immediately preceding the letter picked. 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 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.