Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
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HB 154 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Voter-requested hand-counted ballots

AI-generated

enabling voters to request to have their ballots hand-counted.

Allows a voter to request that their cast ballot be counted by hand rather than by machine at the polling place.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · August 11, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill enables voters to request to have their ballots hand-counted.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

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

“Any voter may request to have his or her ballot hand-counted and the voter shall be instructed to hand the ballot to the election official manning the ballot machine, who shall place the ballot in the auxiliary compartment of the ballot counting device to be hand-counted by election officials after the close of the polls.”
Section 271:1

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Alvin SeeRPrime
  • Rep. Robert WherryRChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy

Also: Rep. Clayton WoodR, Rep. Jose CambrilsR, Rep. Ricky DevoidR

Public testimony

186 signed in online · 28 wrote testimony

9% support90% oppose1% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Fluoride lowers IQ. It is a toxic substance. PLEASE stop knowingly poisoning our families.”
— Brenda Towne, East Wakefieldsupports
“As someone who VOLUNTEERS at as an asst. Moderator I can tell you that doing this will drive away the few volunteers that currently help.…”
— James Marshall, DERRYopposes
“This will not make the count more accurate and could add unnecessary time and effort to count the ballots.…”
— Elizabeth Nelson, Derryopposes
“I am a supervisor of the checklist. Before you ask for hand-counting of ballots, PLEASE attend a session of ballot machine testing, which is done prior to elections and open to the public as well as being an observer at the end of the evening when votes are counted/tallied.…”
— alexandra neff, nottinghamopposes

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 calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass13–5
    Overall
    72% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • May 8, 2025SenateVoice voteCommittee amendment 2025-1828sadopted
  • May 8, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1828s5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • May 8, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-1828sadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the Senate
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1828s and Requests CofC (Rep. Kofalt)adopted
    Resulting text: Bill as adopted by both chambers
  • Jun 5, 2025SenateVoice voteSen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conferenceadopted
  • Jun 26, 2025SenateVoice voteConference committee report 2025-2768cadopted
  • Jun 26, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law4:02:35–4:04:352mlocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law3:25:49–3:33:057m 16slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass — roll call; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floor56:52–58:001m 8slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 29, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs18:09–27:119m 2slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 8, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1828s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2025-1828s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2025-1828s — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference — adopted, voice vote; President Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1828s and Requests CofC (Rep. Kofalt) — adopted, voice vote; Speaker Appoints: Reps. Berry, Qualey, Burnham, Lane
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamConference Committee Report Filed, # 2025-2768c; Conference Committee Report # 2025-2768c, Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Adopted — voice vote
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnamed in a list of bills, not taken up — opens the full streamConference Committee Report 2025-2768c: Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled (in recess)

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. 8
  2. Feb 18, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/18/2025 01:40 pm LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 4, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 4, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass 03/04/2025 (Vote 13-5; RC) HC 17 P. 28
  5. Mar 19, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Mar 26, 2025HouseOught to Pass: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 54
  7. May 8, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-1828s, AA, VV; 05/08/2025; SJ 12
  8. Apr 29, 2025SenHearing: 04/29/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:30 am; SC 19
  9. May 8, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-1828s, 05/08/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 20
  10. May 8, 2025SenCommittee Amendment # 2025-1828s, AA, VV; 05/08/2025; SJ 12
  11. May 8, 2025SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2025-1828s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/08/2025; SJ 12
  12. Jun 5, 2025HouseHouse Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2025-1828s and Requests CofC (Rep. Kofalt): MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 168
  13. Jun 5, 2025HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Berry, Qualey, Burnham, Lane 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 168
  14. Jun 5, 2025SenSen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
  15. Jun 5, 2025SenPresident Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
  16. Jun 16, 2025HouseConference Committee Meeting: 06/16/2025 10:35 am LOB 306-308
  17. Jun 16, 2025HouseConferee Change: Rep. Wood Replaces Rep. Lane 06/16/2025 HJ 17 P. 24
  18. Jun 26, 2025SenConference Committee Report Filed, # 2025-2768c; 06/26/2025
  19. Jun 26, 2025SenConference Committee Report # 2025-2768c, Adopted, VV; 06/26/2025; SJ 17
  20. Jun 26, 2025HouseConference Committee Report 2025-2768c: Adopted, VV 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 18
  21. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  22. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 63
  23. Aug 1, 2025HouseSigned by Governor Ayotte 08/01/2025; Chapter 271; eff.09/30/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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