HB465 (2007) Detail

Relative to marking ballots cast at elections.


HB 465-FN – AS INTRODUCED

2007 SESSION

07-0679

03/09

HOUSE BILL 465-FN

AN ACT relative to marking ballots cast at elections.

SPONSORS: Rep. L. Christiansen, Hills 27

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This bill requires that ballots be marked before issuance to voters.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

07-0679

03/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seven

AN ACT relative to marking ballots cast at elections.

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

1 Obtaining a Ballot; Identifying Number. Amend RSA 659:13 to read as follows:

659:13 Obtaining a Ballot. A person desiring to vote shall, before being admitted to the enclosed space within the guardrail, announce his or her name to one of the ballot clerks who shall thereupon repeat the name; and, if the name is found on the checklist by the ballot clerk, the ballot clerk shall put a checkmark beside it and again repeat the name. The ballot clerk shall state the address listed on the checklist for the voter, and ask if the address is correct; if the address on the checklist is not correct, the ballot clerk shall correct the address in red on the paper checklist and the supervisors of the checklist shall cause the centralized voter registration database to reflect the correction. The voter, if still qualified to vote in the town or ward and unless challenged as provided for in RSA 659:27-33, shall then be allowed to enter the space enclosed by the guardrail. After the voter enters the enclosed space, the ballot clerk shall give the voter one of each ballot to be voted on in that election which shall be folded as it was upon receipt from the secretary of state. Before handing any ballot to a voter, the ballot clerk shall mark the ballot via a stamp provided by the secretary of state. Absentee ballots shall be marked at the time that they are issued. Stamps shall be returned to the town or city clerk immediately upon the closing of the polls.

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

LBAO

07-0679

1/17/07

HB 465-FN - FISCAL NOTE

AN ACT relative to marking ballots cast at elections.

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department of State has determined this bill will increase state general fund expenditures by $20,000 in FY 2008. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county, and local revenue.

METHODOLOGY:

The Department of State states this bill requires stamps be purchased for every polling place in order to provide each ballot issued with a validation mark. There are approximately 330 polling places in the State; many having multiple ballot clerk stations. The Department states 400 stamps would be required at a cost of $50 each in FY 2008. There would be no fiscal impact in FY 2009 and each year thereafter.