Revision: Jan. 15, 2013, midnight
HB 138 – AS INTRODUCED
2013 SESSION
06/03
HOUSE BILL 138
AN ACT permitting a town that has adopted official ballot voting to use a topical description of the substance of a warrant article on the official ballot.
SPONSORS: Rep. Cushing, Rock 21; Rep. Muns, Rock 21; Rep. Andrews-Ahearn, Rock 37; Rep. F. Rice, Rock 21; Rep. Emerick, Rock 21; Sen. Stiles, Dist 24
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
This bill permits any town that has adopted official ballot voting to use a topical description of the substance of a warrant article on the official ballot.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
13-0287
06/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Thirteen
AN ACT permitting a town that has adopted official ballot voting to use a topical description of the substance of a warrant article on the official ballot.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Use of Official Ballot; Form of Warrant. Amend RSA 40:13, VI to read as follows:
VI. A topical description of the substance of all warrant articles shall be placed on the official ballot for a final vote, including warrant articles as amended by the first session. All special warrant articles shall be accompanied on the ballot by recommendations as required by RSA 32:5, V, concerning any appropriation or appropriation as amended.
2 New Paragraph; Use of Official Ballot; Official Copies Placed on File. Amend RSA 40:13 by inserting after paragraph VII the following new paragraph:
VII-a. Official copies of all warrant articles, including warrant articles as amended by the first session, shall be placed on file and made available to the public at the office of the clerk of the political subdivision not later than one week prior to the date of the second session of the annual meeting. An official copy of the warrant shall be on display for the voters at the meeting place on the date of the meeting.
3 Use of Official Ballot; Question Submitted. RSA 40:13, VIII is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
VIII. The clerk of the local political subdivision shall prepare an official ballot, which may be separate from the official ballot used to elect officers, for all warrant articles. The issue shall be presented to the voters by including the following question on the official ballot as prepared by the clerk of the political subdivision:
“Are you in favor of the warrant as proposed by the selectmen?” In the event that there shall be more than a single proposed warrant to be submitted to the voters at any given meeting, the issue as to the several warrants shall be put in the following manner: “Are you in favor of the adoption of Warrant No. ____ as proposed by the selectmen as follows: (Here insert topical description of substance of warrant.)?” If such action is to be taken at a meeting other than the one at which officers are to be elected, the clerk shall prepare a special ballot containing the question or questions above stated, and the meeting shall open not later than noon and shall remain open at least 8 hours. If a majority of the voters present and voting on any question as herein provided shall vote in the affirmative, the warrant article shall be declared to have been adopted. When submitting any question to the voters under this section, there shall be 2 squares printed after the question, one with the word “yes” beside it and another with the word “no” beside it.
4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.