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HB 574 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Background checks for voting machine vendors

AI-generated

requiring background checks of the private companies and their contractors who program and maintain New Hampshire voting machines.

Requires background checks of employees, contractors, directors, and partners of private companies that program and maintain the state's electronic ballot counting machines and allows public inspection of related records.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 background checks of employees, contractors, directors, and partners of private companies that program and maintain the electronic ballot counting machines in the state. This bill also allows the public inspection of such records.

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

“The distributor of electronic ballot counting devices in New Hampshire shall assign all employees programming or maintaining electronic ballot counting devices in New Hampshire an employee identification number and an identification card with the employee's name and identification number on it.”
RSA 656:40-a
“The distributor shall send a list of current employees programming or maintaining electronic ballot counting devices in New Hampshire including their assigned employee identification number to the secretary of state and the attorney general on the first of every month.”
RSA 656:40-a
“The distributor of electronic ballot counting devices shall provide to the secretary of state the performance history of the distributor and of its officers and directors relative to the operation and financial security.”
RSA 656:40-a
“The attorney general shall conduct a background investigation of the criminal record of all of the distributor's officers and directors, partners, and any individuals who are responsible for programming or maintaining electronic ballot counting devices in New Hampshire and make a report to the secretary of state.”
RSA 656:40-a

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Claudine BurnhamRPrimeClerk· Election Law
  • Rep. Robert WherryRChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy

Also: Rep. Clayton WoodR

Public testimony

139 signed in online · 26 wrote testimony

92% support8% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I support requiring background checks of the private companies and their contractors who program and maintain New Hampshire voting machines.”
— Maura McManus, Somersworthsupports
“I prefer ew eliminate the voting machines and hand count ballots”
— Gordon Springate, Wiltonsupports
“It is beyond me to assume why the State wouldn't want to do background checks on private companies and their contractors who program and maintain New Hampshire voting machines. Do the background checks unless you're more interested in generating a fraud on the public!…”
— Douglas Carmel, Exetersupports
“Background checks and identification are both reasonable security measures to introduce. However, this bill also requires that a list of election workers' full legal names be made available to the public.…”
— Heather Pike, Tamworthopposes
“Background checks on individuals overseeing the function of NH Voting machines is a good idea but too costly.”
— Peggy Sheets, Hollisopposes

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 18, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate18–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law1:00:42–1:02:281m 46slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Mar 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law14:22–16:412m 19slocated 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. 17
  2. Mar 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 03/04/2025 11:00 am LOB 306-308
  3. Mar 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  4. Mar 18, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/18/2025 (Vote 18-0; CC) HC 17 P. 14
  5. Mar 26, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 03/26/2025 HJ 10 P. 22

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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