Bill Text - SB204 (2005)

Relative to party columns on ballots.


Revision: Jan. 21, 2010, midnight

SB 204 – AS INTRODUCED

2005 SESSION

05-1042

03/04

SENATE BILL 204

AN ACT relative to party columns on ballots.

SPONSORS: Sen. Larsen, Dist 15; Sen. Burling, Dist 5; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 24; Rep. Craig, Hills 9; Rep. Norelli, Rock 16; Rep. J. Tilton, Merr 6

COMMITTEE: Internal Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill requires that party columns and candidate names on ballots be alternated.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

05-1042

03/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Five

AN ACT relative to party columns on ballots.

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

1 Party Columns. Amend RSA 656:5 to read as follows:

656:5 Party Columns. The names of all candidates nominated in accordance with the election laws shall be arranged upon the state general election ballot in successive party columns. Each separate column shall contain the names of the candidates of one party; except that, if only a part of a full list of candidates is nominated by a political party, 2 or more such lists may be arranged whenever practicable in the same column. [The first column shall contain the names of the candidates of the party which received the largest number of votes at the last preceding state general election.] The position of party columns shall be alternated by voting precinct so that each party column appears as nearly as may be an equal number of times in the first column position, in the last column position, and in each intermediate column position, if any, for as many offices as is practicable. Whenever there are 2 or more candidates of the same party for the same office, the names of such candidates shall be alternated by voting precinct so that each name shall appear on ballots 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.

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