HB718 (2019) Detail

Relative to instant voting in elections.


HB 718-FN-LOCAL - AS INTRODUCED

 

 

2019 SESSION

19-0344

11/06

 

HOUSE BILL 718-FN-LOCAL

 

AN ACT relative to instant voting in elections.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Komi, Hills. 43

 

COMMITTEE: Election Law

 

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

 

ANALYSIS

 

This bill provides for instant voting in presidential primary elections.

 

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

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

19-0344

11/06

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Nineteen

 

AN ACT relative to instant voting in elections.

 

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

 

1  New Subdivision; Instant Voting in Presidential Primary.  Amend RSA 659 by inserting after section 103 the following new subdivision:

Instant Voting in Presidential Primary

659:104  Instant Voting in Presidential Primary.

I.  Any candidate seeking nomination in the presidential primary may, after filing a declaration of candidacy pursuant to RSA 655:47 and paying the filing fee pursuant to RSA 655:48 but before the date of the primary election, petition any town moderator or city clerk to establish an instant polling booth or booths in accordance with this section.

II.  Wherever a candidate on the ballot in a presidential primary election gathers at least 5,000 residents from one political subdivision in the same physical location within such subdivision, the candidate or his or her delegate shall be authorized to send notice of such gathering to the moderator or clerk, and to request the moderator or clerk to establish an instant polling place at the gathering for the purpose of recording the votes of residents present.

III.  Any instant polling place established pursuant to this section shall conform with the requirements of RSA 658:9 through RSA 658:18.

IV.  The conduct of voting at any instant polling place established pursuant to this section shall conform with the provisions of RSA 659:9 through RSA 659:45.

V.  No ballots cast at any instant polling place shall be processed or counted until the polls close on the usual date of the presidential primary election.  The ballots shall be delivered to the moderator or clerk for storage until all votes from the presidential primary are counted in accordance with RSA 659:58 through RSA 659:70.  

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

 

LBAO

19-0344

Revised 1/23/19

 

HB 718-FN-LOCAL- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

 

AN ACT relative to instant voting in elections.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:      [    ] State              [    ] County               [ X ] Local              [    ] None

 

 

 

Estimated Increase / (Decrease)

LOCAL:

FY 2020

FY 2021

FY 2022

FY 2023

   Appropriation

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

   Expenditures

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

Indeterminable

 

METHODOLOGY:

This bill establishes a process for presidential primary candidates to petition any town moderator or city clerk to establish an instant polling booth or polling place.  The Secretary of State indicates there would not be any costs incurred to the office other than normal printing of ballots and election materials.  Municipalities would incur significant costs related to setting up and staffing such polling places on short notice in addition to Election Day voting duties.

 

The New Hampshire Municipal Association (NHMA) indicates the proposal conflicts with numerous election statutes and states establishment of a fully functioning on demand polling place would involve a significant.  NHMA states this bill will increase local expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2020 and each year thereafter and have no fiscal impact on local revenue.

 

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of State and New Hampshire Municipal Association

 

Links


Date Body Type
Jan. 30, 2019 House Hearing
Feb. 13, 2019 House Exec Session
House Floor Vote
Feb. 27, 2019 House Floor Vote

Bill Text Revisions

HB718 Revision: 5057 Date: Jan. 23, 2019, 10:20 a.m.

Docket


Feb. 27, 2019: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/27/2019 HJ 6 P. 10


: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate (Vote 20-0; CC)


Feb. 27, 2019: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate for 02/27/2019 (Vote 20-0; CC) HC 13 P. 8


Feb. 13, 2019: Executive Session: 02/13/2019 11:00 am LOB 308


Jan. 30, 2019: Public Hearing: 01/30/2019 03:00 pm LOB 308


Jan. 3, 2019: Introduced 01/03/2019 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 27