Revision: Feb. 17, 2026, 2:06 p.m.
Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs
February 17, 2026
2026-0773s
08/09
Amendment to SB 438
Amend the title of the bill by replacing it with the following:
AN ACT relative to the sharing of data between the department of safety and the secretary of state for the purposes of verifying the accuracy of information in the centralized voter registration database.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
1 Centralized Voter Registration Database. Amend RSA 654:45, IV(b) to read as follows:
(b) Voter database record data shall be verified by matching the records with those of the department of safety and the federal Social Security Administration as are required by law, and with the records of the state agency or division charged with maintaining vital records. For this purpose the voter registration record database may be linked to the state agency or division charged with maintaining vital records and the department of safety, provided that no linked agency or division may save or retain voter information or use it for purposes other than verifying the accuracy of the information to be entered or contained in the voter database. The link authorized by this subparagraph shall not allow the department of state or election officials direct access to the motor vehicle registration or driver's license records maintained by the division of motor vehicles; provided that such link shall authorize the department of state to identify voter records with out-of-state driver's license information where the record cannot be matched to an in-state driver's license obtained within the deadline provided in RSA 263:35. The secretary of state shall authorize the release of information from the voter database necessary for the department of safety to notify an individual pursuant to RSA 263:35, II. The commissioner of safety [may] shall authorize the release of information from motor vehicle registration and driver's license records to the extent that the information is necessary to department of state and department of safety cooperation in a joint notification to individuals of apparent discrepancies in their records to the extent that the information is necessary to resolve those discrepancies or to complete voter registration. The commissioner of safety and the secretary of state [are authorized to] shall enter into an agreement that establishes the services to be provided by the department of safety and the cost for those services. Any agreement established shall be reviewed at least once every 3 years, or as needed. The department of safety shall not be required to provide any services under this subparagraph unless an agreement is in place and there are sufficient funds in the election fund to pay the cost for the services. The system shall facilitate the completion, identification, and correction of voter registration records, including but not limited to when a registered voter has died or has been disenfranchised pursuant to part I, article 11 of the New Hampshire constitution or RSA 654:5 through RSA 654:6, or when the domicile address does not match the address provided by the same individual to the department of safety or to verify citizenship for voter registration.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.
2026-0773s
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires the commissioner of safety and the secretary of state to enter into an agreement that enables the sharing of voter information from the department of safety with the secretary of state for use in the centralized voter database.