Citizen in a RepublicNH Bill Briefing
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HB 492 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Recounts when no primary candidate named

AI-generated

allowing political parties to request recounts when no candidate is named on the ballot.

Allows political parties to request a recount when no candidate is named on the primary ballot.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 allows political parties to request a recount when no candidate is named on the primary ballot.

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

“In cases where after a state primary there is uncertainty over whether a candidate received enough write-in votes to be placed on the general election ballot, the state political parties may request a recount.”
Section 1
“If the recount is requested by one of the state political parties under RSA 660:7, III, the party shall pay the fees as provided in RSA 660:2, III and shall agree in writing with the secretary of state to pay any additional costs of the recount.”
Section 2
“The secretary of state may require that the applying party pay the estimated additional costs of the recount prior to commencing the recount.”
Section 2

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Timothy HorriganDPrime

Rep. Kelley PotenzaR, Rep. Thomas SouthworthD

Public testimony

112 signed in online · 14 wrote testimony

98% support2% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“Common sense needs to be common. If no candidate is named on a ballot, then, of course, a party should be entitled to request a recount of the votes submitted for the position. Duh!”
— Douglas Carmel, Exetersupports
“Requesting a recount should be the right of political parties. It promotes fair and transparent elections”
— Virginia Daschbach, Exetersupports
“Perhaps this could be amended to include cases in which multiple write-in candidates are tied or nearly so”
— Roy Schweiker, Concordsupports

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· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate17–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law40:42–42:562m 14slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law18:24–20:131m 49slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Mar 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 13
  2. Mar 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 03/04/2025 10:40 am LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 11, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/11/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 11, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/11/2025 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 17 P. 14
  5. 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.