CHAPTER 129
HB 1381 - FINAL VERSION
04/16/2026 1325s
4Jun2026... 2093CofC
4Jun2026... 2143EBA
2026 SESSION
26-3164
08/09
HOUSE BILL 1381
AN ACT extending the time of the party filing period.
SPONSORS: Rep. Wilhelm, Hills. 21; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill:
I. Clarifies that in case no declaration is filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the chairperson of the appropriate party committee or their designee shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person they designate to fill the vacancy.
II. Requires that a person designated to fill such a vacancy file a declaration of candidacy with the secretary of state within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
04/16/2026 1325s
4Jun2026... 2093CofC
4Jun2026... 2143EBA 26-3164
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT extending the time of the party filing period.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
129:1 Candidate Filing; No Declaration Filed. Amend RSA 655:32, I to read as follows:
I. In case no declaration shall be filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the nomination may be made by the appropriate party committee as provided in this section. The chairperson of the appropriate party committee or their designee shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person it designates to fill the vacancy. The person so designated may accept the nomination by[, on or before the Wednesday following the expiration of the period for filing declarations of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:14,] filing with the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:17 within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period established by RSA 655:14. Any candidate accepting a nomination under this paragraph who has already filed for an incompatible office as defined in RSA 655:10 shall withdraw the prior filing. Any vacancy created by the withdrawal of a filing may be filled pursuant to this section. If the candidate is designated for the office of governor, councilor, state senator, or state representative, he or she shall also file on or before the Wednesday following the period for filing declarations of candidacy the appropriate affidavit as provided in RSA 655:29. Any candidate so designated by a party committee who has not filed all the forms required by this section within the required period of time shall not have his or her name printed on the state primary election ballot for that office.
129:2 Elections; Nominations; No Declaration Filed; Version Effective January 1, 2028. Amend RSA 655:32, I to read as follows:
I. In case no declaration shall be filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the nomination may be made by the appropriate party committee as provided in this section. The chairperson of the appropriate party committee or their designee shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person it designates to fill the vacancy. The person so designated may accept the nomination by filing with the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:17 within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period established by RSA 655:14. Any candidate accepting a nomination under this paragraph who has already filed for an incompatible office as defined in RSA 655:10 shall withdraw the prior filing. Any vacancy created by the withdrawal of a filing may be filled pursuant to this section. If the candidate is designated for the office of governor, councilor, state senator, or state representative, he or she shall also file on or before the [Wednesday] second Friday following the period for filing declarations of candidacy the appropriate affidavit as provided in RSA 655:29. Any candidate so designated by a party committee who has not filed all the forms required by this section within the required period of time shall not have his or her name printed on the state primary election ballot for that office.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2028.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.
Approved: June 11, 2026
Effective Date:
I. Section 2 effective January 1, 2028
II. Remainder effective June 11, 2026
| Date | Amendment |
|---|---|
| April 2, 2026 | 2026-1325s |
| May 27, 2026 | 2026-2093CofC |
| June 8, 2026 | 2026-2143EBA |
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Feb. 3, 2026 | House | Hearing |
| Feb. 10, 2026 | House | Exec Session |
| Feb. 10, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
| March 31, 2026 | Senate | Hearing |
| Senate | Floor Vote | |
| June 4, 2026 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| June 4, 2026 | Senate | Floor Vote |
| June 4, 2026 | House | Floor Vote |
June 22, 2026: Signed by Governor Ayotte 06/11/2026; Chapter 129; eff. I. Sec 2 eff 1/1/28 II. Rem eff 6/11/26
June 10, 2026: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
June 10, 2026: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
June 10, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2143e: AA VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15
June 10, 2026: Enrolled Bill Amendment # 2026-2143e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14
June 4, 2026: Conference Committee Report 2026-2093c: Adopted, VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15
May 29, 2026: Conference Committee Report # 2026-2093c, Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026; SJ 14
May 28, 2026: Conference Committee Report Filed, # 2026-2093c; 06/04/2026
May 27, 2026: Conference Committee Meeting: 05/27/2026 10:30 am GP 228
May 18, 2026: President Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
May 18, 2026: Sen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13
May 6, 2026: Speaker Appoints: Reps. Berry, Qualey, Lane, Wilhelm 04/23/2026 HJ 11
May 6, 2026: House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1325s (Rep. Berry): MA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11
April 10, 2026: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1325s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/16/2026; SJ 9
April 10, 2026: Committee Amendment # 2026-1325s, AA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9
April 3, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1325s, 04/16/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 14
March 25, 2026: Hearing: 03/31/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 02:00 pm; SC 12
March 6, 2026: Introduced 03/05/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 6
March 5, 2026: Ought to Pass: MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 15
Feb. 24, 2026: Committee Report: Ought to Pass 02/10/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 9 P. 14
Feb. 11, 2026: Executive Session: 02/10/2026 11:00 am GP 158
Jan. 29, 2026: Public Hearing: 02/03/2026 11:20 am GP 158
Dec. 4, 2025: Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Election Law HJ 1 P. 18