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HB 418 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Restricting absentee voting eligibility

AI-generated

relative to eligibility for absentee voting.

Rewrites the absentee voting statute to limit eligibility to voters who will be absent from their town on election day or who are unable to vote in person due to a disability.AI-generated

Status

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

Analysis

This bill requires voters to be either absent from the town or city in which they are domiciled or disabled and unable to vote in person in order to be eligible for an absentee ballot.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. John SellersRPrime
  • Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary

Also: Rep. Sandra PanekR, Rep. Alvin SeeR, Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR, Rep. Clayton WoodR, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR

Public testimony

1,315 signed in online · 431 wrote testimony

5% support95% oppose0% neutral

ForNotarized affidavits should be required to verify voter identity

AgainstRemoving work, caregiving, religious, and weather reasons disenfranchises voters

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Our ballots can be viewed as money. You need to have accountability for a valid request for an absentee ballot. We cannot have election integrity if we allow absentee ballot requests without reason. We need an affidavit to ensure that there is no fraud.”
— James Goodwin, Brentwoodsupports
“Please SUPPORT this bill. Thank you, Deb Manchester Ward 12”
— Deb Roux, Manchestersupports
“Please SUPPORT this bill. Thank you, Dan Manchester Ward 12”
— Dan Roux, Manchestersupports
“HB418 imposes unreasonable restrictions on eligibility to vote by absentee ballot. There is no evidence that absentee voting or absentee ballot counting are abused or subject to fraud. NONE. The entire process is tightly controlled and open for anyone to observe.…”
— Judy Strakalaitis, Derry · Derry Supervisors of the Checklistopposes
“Please consider 2 issues: a healthy democracy depends on high voter turn-out; and voter fraud is VERY low, even in states where all ballots are mailed in.…”
— Jeanie Holt, CONCORDopposes
“Please stop introducing bills based on voting fraud that is not an issue, rather a mechanism to keep people from voting. Please stop this!”
— Arthoen Wolf, Concordopposes

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

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Hearings

  • 2025-02-0410:20 amHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearing
  • 2025-02-1110:10 amHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearing
  • 2025-02-149:30 amHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearingrescheduled
  • 2025-02-219:30 amHouse Election LawLOB 302-304Public hearing
  • 2025-03-071:00 pmHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearing
  • 2025-03-149:00 amHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearing
  • 2025-03-1810:00 amHouse Election LawLOB 306-308Public hearing
  • 2025-03-189:00 amHouse Election LawLOB 307Public hearing

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 8
  2. Feb 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2025 10:20 am LOB 306-308
  3. Feb 11, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  4. Feb 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/14/2025 09:30 am LOB 306-308
  5. Feb 21, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/21/2025 09:30 am LOB 302-304
  6. Mar 7, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/07/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
  7. Mar 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/14/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
  8. Mar 18, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/18/2025 09:00 am LOB 307
  9. Mar 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  10. Mar 18, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/18/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 17 P. 13
  11. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 21

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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