Bill Text: NH SB489 | 2020 | Regular Session | Introduced

New Hampshire Senate Bill 489 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relative to the absentee ballot application process.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 7-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-14 - Special Order to the end of the Regular Calendar, Without Objection, Motion Adopted; 02/13/2020; Senate Journal 4 [SB489 Detail]

Download: New_Hampshire-2020-SB489-Introduced.html

SB 489 - AS INTRODUCED

2020 SESSION

20-3013

11/03

SENATE BILL 489

AN ACT relative to the absentee ballot application process.

SPONSORS: Sen. French, Dist 7; Sen. Reagan, Dist 17; Sen. Fuller Clark, Dist 21; Sen. Gray, Dist 6; Sen. Giuda, Dist 2; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Rep. Hill, Merr. 3; Rep. Pearl, Merr. 26

COMMITTEE: Election Law and Municipal Affairs

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ANALYSIS

This bill establishes procedures for the verification of certain mail-in absentee voters.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

20-3013

11/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty

AN ACT relative to the absentee ballot application process.

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

1 New Section; Pre-Election Procedure; Verification of Mail-In Absentee Voter. Amend RSA 657 by inserting after section 17-a the following new section:

657:17-b Verification of Mail-In Absentee Voter.

I. If an absentee voter indicates in the mailed-in absentee ballot application form that such voter wishes the absentee ballot to be mailed to an address other than that shown in the official checklist, and such voter returns the absentee ballot by mail, such voter shall be treated as a verified voter provided:

(a) The voter voluntarily shows the clerk a photo identification that meets the requirements of RSA 659:13 prior to election day;

(b) The voter voluntarily completes a challenged voter affidavit prior to election day in the same manner as is required for an election day voter who does not present a qualified voter identification; or

II. The clerk shall mark the absentee ballot affidavit envelope "voter verified" and note on the clerk's list of absentee voters that the voter has been verified. The verified voter's signatures on the application for an absentee ballot shall not be compared to the voter's signature on the absentee ballot affidavit on election day.

III. A voter who does not provide verification pursuant to subparagraphs I(a)-(c) shall not be treated as a verified voter, and his or her signature on the application for an absentee ballot shall be compared to his or her signature on the absentee ballot affidavit on election day in the same manner as other voters.

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