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HB 356 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Allowing partisan school board elections

AI-generated

enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.

Allows school districts to vote to adopt a partisan ballot system for electing school district officers, alongside the existing non-partisan system, and sets filing and ballot procedures for each option.AI-generated

Status

Vetoed; the override vote failed, so the veto stands · December 17, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✓Senate
  4. ✕Governor
  5. Law

Governor's veto message

“Local school boards are run properly and in a nonpartisan manner. Additionally, there is no need to fix a system that is not broken.”
— Gov. Kelly Ayotte · Jul 7, 2025 · excerpt
Governor's press releaseHouse Journal 19, p. 17

The House voted 177–174 on the override (Dec 17, 2025) — short of the two-thirds required, so the veto was sustained. See the roll call.

Analysis

This bill enables school districts to choose whether or not to adopt partisan school district elections.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as passed by both chambers. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“For all districts which have adopted a non-partisan ballot system pursuant to RSA 671:30, the provisions of RSA 669:19-669:22 relative to filing for office and withdrawal of candidacy for a non-partisan town election shall apply to school district elections.”
RSA 671:19
“In addition to the requirements of RSA 671:49, a cooperative school district that has adopted the partisan official ballot system pursuant to RSA 671:30-a shall do the following:”
RSA 671:19-a
“The school district clerk shall prepare ballots for school district elections in the same manner as town clerks for non-partisan or partisan town elections, as provided in RSA 669:23 and 669:24, except that the ballot shall be of a different color than any other ballot used at the election”
RSA 671:20
“Any school district may vote to adopt the partisan official ballot system for election of school district officers under an article in the warrant for any school district meeting.”
RSA 671:30-b

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Robert WherryRPrimeChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy
  • Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government
  • Rep. James CreightonRChair· Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services

Also: Rep. Deborah AylwardR, Rep. Ralph BoehmR

Public testimony

454 signed in online · 92 wrote testimony

2% support98% oppose0% neutral

ForGives districts local choice and improves transparency

AgainstParty politics doesn't belong in school board elections

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I support using criteria for redistricting that allows fair representation for all voters in NH, not one group or party in particular.”
— Joanne Davis, CONCORDsupports
“This bill is an important step in empowering our school districts by providing them with the choice to adopt a partisan ballot system if they believe it will better serve their community’s needs.…”
— Blossom Dodge, Concordsupports
“Although many have chosen a particular party when voting in statewide and national elections, this should not be part of local elections.”
— Kathleen Bean, Durhamsupports
“I'm so sick and tired of opposing these horrible bills. Get a grip.”
— Max Kolesar, Hooksettopposes
“As citizens of the US, our government has no right to restrict our voting to only the parties THEY choose. We have the constitutional right to vote for any partisan or non-partisan candidate of our choosing.…”
— Ken Steinberg, Nashuaopposes
“The more we label one another as D or R or I, the less likely we are to truly engage in conversation and find common ground.…”
— Faith Eherts, Nashuaopposes

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 11, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0619h10–7
    Overall
    59% yea
  • Mar 27, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-0619hadopted
  • Mar 27, 2025HouseDivisionOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0619hAdopted200–173
    Overall
    54% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • May 15, 2025SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate3–2
    Overall
    60% yea
  • May 15, 2025SenateRoll callInexpedient to LegislateFailed10–13How they voted
    Overall
    43% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    2–1313% yea
    Democrats
    8–0100% yea
  • May 15, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • Jun 12, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted
  • Dec 17, 2025HouseRoll callOverride the veto — shall the bill become law notwithstanding the objectionsFailed177–174How they voted
    Overall
    50% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    175–1393% yea
    Democrats
    2–1611% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law3:39:08–3:39:4032slocated in the stream transcript==RECESSED== Executive Session
  • Mar 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law52:26–54:392m 13slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0619h — roll call; ==CONTINUED== Executive Session
  • Mar 27, 2025Floor debateHouse floor1:51:10–1:54:163m 6slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0619h — adopted, division 200-173; Amendment # 2025-0619h — adopted, voice vote
  • May 13, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs19:04–20:221m 18slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • May 15, 2025Floor debateSenate floor3:26:50–3:31:004m 10slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Inexpedient to Legislate — failed, roll call 10-13; Sen. Lang Moved Ought to Pass
  • Jun 12, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote
  • Dec 17, 2025Floor debateHouse floor1:24:32–1:25:501m 18slocated in the stream transcriptVeto Sustained — roll call 177-174

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. 16
  2. Feb 25, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/25/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 4, 2025House==RECESSED== Executive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 11, 2025House==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 03/11/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
  5. Mar 11, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0619h 03/11/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC) HC 17 P. 55
  6. Mar 19, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  7. Mar 27, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-0619h: AA VV 03/27/2025 HJ 11 P. 26
  8. Mar 27, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-0619h: MA DV 200-173 03/27/2025 HJ 11 P. 26
  9. Mar 27, 2025SenIntroduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 10
  10. May 13, 2025SenHearing: 05/13/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:25 am; SC 21
  11. May 15, 2025Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate, 05/15/2025, Vote 3-2; SC 21A
  12. May 15, 2025SenInexpedient to Legislate, RC 10Y-13N, MF; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
  13. May 15, 2025SenSen. Lang Moved Ought to Pass; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
  14. May 15, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/15/2025; SJ 13
  15. Jun 12, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/12/2025); SJ 17
  16. Jun 12, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/12/2025 HJ 17 P. 26
  17. Jul 7, 2025HouseVetoed by Governor Ayotte 07/07/2025 HJ 19 P. 17
  18. Dec 17, 2025HouseVeto Sustained 12/17/2025: RC 177-174 Lacking Necessary Two-Thirds Vote HJ 19

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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