SB79 (2015) Detail

Relative to appointment of inspectors of election.


SB 79 – AS INTRODUCED

2015 SESSION

15-0879

03/06

SENATE BILL 79

AN ACT relative to appointment of inspectors of election.

SPONSORS: Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20

COMMITTEE: Public and Municipal Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill allows the selectmen to appoint undeclared voters as inspectors of election if a political party committee fails to make the appointments and party members are not available. This bill also allows the moderator to appoint inspectors pro tempore if an insufficient number of inspectors have been appointed by the parties and selectmen.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

15-0879

03/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Fifteen

AN ACT relative to appointment of inspectors of election.

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

1 Inspectors of Election; Appointment. Amend RSA 658:2 to read as follows:

658:2 Appointment. Each town and ward political committee of the 2 political parties which cast the largest number of votes for governor in the state at the last previous general election is authorized to appoint between May 15 and July 15 of each general election year 2 inspectors of election to act at each polling place. If the number of voters qualified to vote at a polling place shall exceed 2,000, said political committees may each appoint for such polling place one additional inspector for each 1,500 qualified voters or fraction thereof in excess of 2,000. The town and ward political committees may also appoint such additional inspectors, equally divided between said 2 political parties, as the moderator considers necessary for the efficient conduct of the election. On or before July 15, the chairmen of said political committees shall notify the appointees and the town or ward clerk and city clerk concerned as to appointments made under this authority. If any such appointments are not made by said political committees and proper notification thereof given on or before July 15, then the appointments shall be made by the selectmen of the town or ward in equal numbers from said 2 political parties, provided that, if a sufficient number of qualified members of a party are not available, the selectmen may appoint undeclared voters.

2 Inspectors Pro Tem. Amend RSA 658:22 to read as follows:

658:22 Inspectors Pro Tem. If any of the appointed inspectors of election shall be absent from any state election or unable to perform his or her duties, the selectmen shall appoint some person qualified as provided in RSA 658:3, using the list of alternate appointees provided under RSA 658:5 unless no person on said list is available. If the political committees and selectmen have not appointed the full number of inspectors of election authorized under RSA 658:2, the moderator may appoint qualified persons as inspectors of election pro tempore up to the number authorized.

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