CACR1 (2011) Detail

Relating to the election of state and county officers. Providing that state and county officers shall be elected in odd-numbered years.


CACR 1 – AS INTRODUCED

2011 SESSION

11-0314

06/03

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1

RELATING TO: the election of state and county officers.

PROVIDING THAT: state and county officers shall be elected in odd-numbered years.

SPONSORS: Rep. Sova, Graf 10

COMMITTEE: Election Law

ANALYSIS

This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution provides that state and county officers shall be elected in odd-numbered years.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

11-0314

06/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eleven

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

RELATING TO: the election of state and county officers.

PROVIDING THAT: state and county officers shall be elected in odd-numbered years.

Be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the

Constitution of New Hampshire be amended as follows:

I. That article 9 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

[Art.] 9. [Representatives Elected Every Second Year; Apportionment of Representatives.] There shall be in the legislature of this state a house of representatives, biennially elected in odd-numbered years and founded on principles of equality, and representation therein shall be as equal as circumstances will admit. The term of any representative holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year. The whole number of representatives to be chosen from the towns, wards, places, and representative districts thereof established hereunder, shall be not less than three hundred seventy-five or more than four hundred. As soon as possible after the convening of the next regular session of the legislature, and at the session in 1971, and every ten years thereafter, the legislature shall make an apportionment of representatives according to the last general census of the inhabitants of the state taken by authority of the United States or of this state. In making such apportionment, no town, ward or place shall be divided nor the boundaries thereof altered.

II. That article 27 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

[Art.] 27. [Election of Senators.] The freeholders and other inhabitants of each district, qualified as in this constitution is provided shall biennially in odd-numbered years give in their votes for a senator, at some meeting holden in the month of November. The term of any senator holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year.

III. That article 42 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

[Art.] 42. [Election of Governor, Return of Votes; Electors; If No Choice, Legislature to Elect One of Two Highest Candidates; Qualifications for Governor.] The governor shall be chosen biennially in odd-numbered years in the month of November, provided that the term of any governor holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year; and the votes for governor shall be received, sorted, counted, certified and returned, in the same manner as the votes for senators; and the secretary shall lay the same before the senate and house of representatives, on the first Wednesday following the first Tuesday of January to be by them examined, and in case of an election by a plurality of votes through the state, the choice shall be by them declared and published. And the qualifications of electors of the governor shall be the same as those for senators; and if no person shall have a plurality of votes, the senate and house of representatives shall, by joint ballot elect one of the 2 persons, having the highest number of votes, who shall be declared governor. And no person shall be eligible to this office, unless at the time of his election, he shall have been an inhabitant of this state for 7 years next preceding, and unless he shall be of the age of 30 years.

IV. That article 71 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:

[Art.] 71. [County Treasurers, Registers of Probate, County Attorneys, Sheriffs, and Registers of Deeds Elected.] The county treasurers, registers of probate, county attorneys, sheriffs and registers of deeds, shall be elected in odd-numbered years by the inhabitants of the several towns, in the several counties in the state, according to the method now practiced, and the laws of the state. Provided nevertheless the legislature shall have authority to alter the manner of certifying the votes, and the mode of electing those officers; but not so as to deprive the people of the right they now have of electing them. The term of any county treasurer, register of probate, county attorney, sheriff, or register of deeds holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year.

V. That the above amendment proposed to the constitution be submitted to the qualified voters of the state at the state general election to be held in November, 2012.

VI. That the selectmen of all towns, cities, wards, and places in the state are directed to insert in their warrants for the said 2012 election an article to the following effect: To decide whether the amendments of the constitution proposed by the 2011 session of the general court shall be approved.

VII. That the wording of the question put to the qualified voters shall be:

“Are you in favor of amending articles 9, 27, 42, and 71 of the second part of the constitution to read as follows:

[Art.] 9. [Representatives Elected Every Second Year; Apportionment of Representatives.] There shall be in the legislature of this state a house of representatives, biennially elected in odd-numbered years and founded on principles of equality, and representation therein shall be as equal as circumstances will admit. The term of any representative holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year. The whole number of representatives to be chosen from the towns, wards, places, and representative districts thereof established hereunder, shall be not less than three hundred seventy-five or more than four hundred. As soon as possible after the convening of the next regular session of the legislature, and at the session in 1971, and every ten years thereafter, the legislature shall make an apportionment of representatives according to the last general census of the inhabitants of the state taken by authority of the United States or of this state. In making such apportionment, no town, ward or place shall be divided nor the boundaries thereof altered.

[Art.] 27. [Election of Senators.] The freeholders and other inhabitants of each district, qualified as in this constitution is provided shall biennially in odd-numbered years give in their votes for a senator, at some meeting holden in the month of November. The term of any senator holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year.

[Art.] 42. [Election of Governor, Return of Votes; Electors; If No Choice, Legislature to Elect One of Two Highest Candidates; Qualifications for Governor.] The governor shall be chosen biennially in odd-numbered years in the month of November, provided that the term of any governor holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year; and the votes for governor shall be received, sorted, counted, certified and returned, in the same manner as the votes for senators; and the secretary shall lay the same before the senate and house of representatives, on the first Wednesday following the first Tuesday of January to be by them examined, and in case of an election by a plurality of votes through the state, the choice shall be by them declared and published. And the qualifications of electors of the governor shall be the same as those for senators; and if no person shall have a plurality of votes, the senate and house of representatives shall, by joint ballot elect one of the 2 persons, having the highest number of votes, who shall be declared governor. And no person shall be eligible to this office, unless at the time of his election, he shall have been an inhabitant of this state for 7 years next preceding, and unless he shall be of the age of 30 years.

[Art.] 71. [County Treasurers, Registers of Probate, County Attorneys, Sheriffs, and Registers of Deeds Elected.] The county treasurers, registers of probate, county attorneys, sheriffs and registers of deeds, shall be elected in odd-numbered years by the inhabitants of the several towns, in the several counties in the state, according to the method now practiced, and the laws of the state. Provided nevertheless the legislature shall have authority to alter the manner of certifying the votes, and the mode of electing those officers; but not so as to deprive the people of the right they now have of electing them The term of any county treasurer, register of probate, county attorney, sheriff, or register of deeds holding office at the time of the first election in an odd-numbered year shall be extended for one year.”

VIII. That the secretary of state shall print the question to be submitted on a separate ballot or on the same ballot with other constitutional questions. The ballot containing the question shall include 2 squares next to the question allowing the voter to vote “Yes” or “No.” If no cross is made in either of the squares, the ballot shall not be counted on the question. The outside of the ballot shall be the same as the regular official ballot except that the words “Questions Relating to Constitutional Amendments proposed by the 2011 General Court” shall be printed in bold type at the top of the ballot.

IX. That if the proposed amendment is approved by 2/3 of those voting on the amendment, it becomes effective when the governor proclaims its adoption.