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CACR 2 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Ban on partisan redistricting

AI-generated

relating to the drawing of district boundaries. Providing that no district boundaries shall be drawn in a way that favors or disfavors any political party or candidate.

Prohibits any legislative redistricting plan or district boundary from being drawn to favor or disfavor a political party or candidate and bars use of voter party affiliation or incumbent residency data in drawing districts.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 26, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. On the ballot

Analysis

This CACR will prohibit district boundaries from being drawn in a way that favors or disfavors any political party or candidate.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“Representation by Districts.] When the population of any town or ward, according to the last federal census, is within a reasonable deviation from the ideal population for one or more representative seats, the town or ward shall have its own district of one or more representative seats.”
From the bill
“The apportionment shall not deny any other town or ward membership in one non-floterial representative district.”
From the bill
“When any town, ward, or unincorporated place has fewer than the number of inhabitants necessary to entitle it to one representative, the legislature shall form those towns, wards, or unincorporated places into representative districts which contain a sufficient number of inhabitants to entitle each district so formed to one or more representatives for the entire district.”
From the bill
“In forming the districts, the boundaries of towns, wards, and unincorporated places shall be preserved and contiguous.”
From the bill

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Heath HowardDPrimeDeputy Ranking Member· Executive Departments and Administration
  • Rep. Connie LaneDRanking Member· Election Law
  • Rep. Russell MuirheadDDeputy Ranking Member· Election Law
  • Rep. Matthew WilhelmDDemocratic Caucus Chair
  • Rep. Ellen ReadDDeputy Ranking Member· Housing

Also: Sen. David WattersD

Public testimony

472 signed in online · 91 wrote testimony

98% support2% oppose0% neutral

ForBans partisan gerrymandering of district boundaries

AgainstConcern about effects on independent/undeclared voters

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I urge you to SUPPORT this bill. Good faith boundary drawing is a positive for New Hampshire voters where no party or candidate is favored. Thank you for your time.”
— Sarah McCarthy, Manchestersupports
“Your committee has the reputation for being the most partisan committee in the legislature (confirmed by my observations of many party-line votes over the years). I am an undeclared voter, a member of the majority party.…”
— Deborah Sumner, Jaffreysupports
“Defining features of a democracy include the willingness to tolerate differences among its citizens, as reflected in the voting booth, where every vote must count, and protections for free and fair elections. This bill would support those goals.”
— Robin Mower, Durhamsupports
“CACR2 relates to the drawing of district boundaries and would provide that no district boundaries shall be drawn in a way that favors or disfavors any political party or candidate.…”
— Ray Chadwick, Bedfordopposes
“I am opposed to slanting voting districts to favor a political party. Why would signing like this be legal?”
— Christine Ford, Pelhamopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 4, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseDivisionInexpedient to LegislateAdopted186–150
    Overall
    55% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law3:20:45–3:23:463m 1slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floor53:43–56:443m 1slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, division 186-150

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 2 P. 18
  2. Feb 25, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/25/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 4, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 4, 2025HouseMajority : Inexpedient to Legislate 03/04/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC) HC 17 P. 28
  5. Mar 17, 2025HouseMinority : Ought to Pass
  6. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 186-150 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 54

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.