HB474 (2025) Detail

Requiring a second witness at the counting of write-in votes.


HB 474 - AS AMENDED BY THE HOUSE

 

20Mar2025... 0216h

2025 SESSION

25-0736

09/08

 

HOUSE BILL 474

 

AN ACT requiring a second witness at the counting of write-in votes.

 

SPONSORS: Rep. Burnham, Straf. 2; Rep. Wood, Merr. 13; Rep. Bailey, Straf. 2; Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13

 

COMMITTEE: Election Law

 

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AMENDED ANALYSIS

 

This bill requires a second witness who is another sworn-in election official if a moderator uses a ballot counting device's printed or digitally displayed images to count write-in votes in place of examining each ballot to obtain the name of the person who received a write-in vote.

 

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20Mar2025... 0216h 25-0736

09/08

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Five

 

AN ACT requiring a second witness at the counting of write-in votes.

 

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

 

1  Counting of Votes; Counting Write-In Votes.  Amend RSA 659:64-a, I to read as follows:

I. In a town or city that uses a ballot counting device approved by the ballot law commission pursuant to RSA 656:40 and which prints or digitally displays an image of all write-in votes as part of the device's report of votes cast, a moderator may use the printed or digitally displayed images to count write-in votes in place of examining each ballot to obtain the name of the person who received a write-in vote.  This counting shall take place in the presence of another sworn-in election official.

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

Amendments

Date Amendment
Feb. 6, 2025 2025-0216h

Links


Date Body Type
Jan. 28, 2025 House Hearing
Feb. 4, 2025 House Exec Session
Feb. 4, 2025 House Floor Vote

Bill Text Revisions

HB474 Revision: 47587 Date: March 20, 2025, 2:05 p.m.
HB474 Revision: 46956 Date: Feb. 6, 2025, 9:22 a.m.
HB474 Revision: 46318 Date: Jan. 13, 2025, 12:36 p.m.

Docket


March 24, 2025: Introduced 03/20/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 9


March 20, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0216h: MA VV 03/20/2025 HJ 9


March 20, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0216h: AA VV 03/20/2025 HJ 9


Feb. 6, 2025: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate


Feb. 6, 2025: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0216h 02/04/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC)


Jan. 29, 2025: Executive Session: 02/04/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308


Jan. 22, 2025: Public Hearing: 01/28/2025 01:30 pm LOB 306-308


Jan. 13, 2025: Introduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 12