Bill Text - SB113 (2017)

Relative to an electronic poll book trial program.


Revision: Jan. 24, 2017, 11:13 a.m.

SB 113  - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2017 SESSION

17-0949

03/01

 

SENATE BILL 113

 

AN ACT relative to an electronic poll book trial program.

 

SPONSORS: Sen. Lasky, Dist 13; Sen. D'Allesandro, Dist 20; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Hennessey, Dist 5; Sen. Innis, Dist 24; Sen. McGilvray, Dist 16; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Soucy, Dist 18; Sen. Watters, Dist 4; Sen. Woodburn, Dist 1; Rep. P. Long, Hills. 10

 

COMMITTEE: Election Law and Internal Affairs

 

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ANALYSIS

 

This bill authorizes a trial of electronic poll book devices for voter registration and check-in.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

17-0949

03/01

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Seventeen

 

AN ACT relative to an electronic poll book trial program.

 

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

 

1  New Subdivision; Electronic Poll Books.  Amend RSA 652 by inserting after section 26 the following new subdivision:

Electronic Poll Books

652:27  Electronic Poll Books.

I.  Cities and towns are hereby authorized to conduct a trial of electronic poll book devices for voter registration and check-in for elections.  The trial shall be compliant with all statutes directly or indirectly related to voter checklists and maintenance of the statewide centralized voter registration database including the processes related to voter registration and check-in, the processing of absentee ballots, the collection of all fields of data required for registration or check-in, and the delivery of that data to the secretary of state in a format compatible with the statewide centralized voter registration database.  The provisions of RSA 654:34, RSA 659:55, RSA 659:13, and RSA 659:102, as they relate to manual entries on a paper checklist, are hereby waived in order to accommodate an electronic poll book, provided the same information required of the voter is obtained and recorded by the electronic poll book.  In addition, as required in statute, nonpublic data related to individual voters shall remain confidential, and no voter data shall be used by an electronic poll book vendor or its agents for any purpose other than conducting a program under this section.  Adequate back-up systems shall be in place as determined by the local election officials.

II.  The cities and towns shall assume all costs associated with electronic poll books.  No electronic poll book program may proceed unless the electronic poll books system and application has been certified by an existing qualified certification organization using certification requirements established by the secretary of state.  The secretary of state shall designate at least one certification organization within 2 weeks of the effective date of this section.  The secretary of state, within 2 weeks of the effective date of this section, shall prepare a memorandum of understanding that outlines specific conditions that must be met for compliance with this section.  No electronic poll book program may proceed unless the memorandum of understanding is signed by the secretary of state and the mayor or governing body of the town one month prior to the election.

III.  Within one month after the initial use of electronic poll books in accordance with this section, the city or town shall submit a report to the secretary of state, who shall review such reports and forward them to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the chairpersons of the house and senate standing committees with jurisdiction over election law.  Each report shall describe the outcome of the program, addressing voter experiences, wait times, voter throughput times, personnel costs, hardware and software costs, and the completeness and accuracy of the data recorded, reported, and submitted for import to the statewide centralized voter registration database.

2  Repeal.  RSA 652:27, relative to electronic poll books, is repealed.

3  Effective Date.  

I.  Section 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

II.  The remainder of this act shall take effect .