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SB 214 · 2025 · Senate · Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee

No-excuse absentee voting

AI-generated

enabling no-excuse absentee registration and voting.

Allows voters to register and vote absentee without providing an excuse.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 13, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕Senate
  3. House
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill allows for no-excuse absentee registration and voting.

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 absentee registration affidavit shall be prepared by the secretary of state and shall be in substantially the following form:”
RSA 654:17
“Prior to any state election, the secretary of state shall prepare, in such quantity as the secretary of state may deem necessary,[ absence, religious observance, and disability] absentee ballots in the same form as nearly as practicable as the official ballot to be used at said election.”
RSA 656:33
“Prior to any state election, the secretary of state shall prepare the following forms in such quantity as he or she deems necessary:”
RSA 657:7
“Every town which has adopted an official ballot system for town elections as provided in RSA 669:12 or 669:13 shall provide for absentee voting.”
RSA 669:26

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDPrimeMinority Leader
  • Sen. Cindy RosenwaldDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Sen. Suzanne PrentissDAssistant Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Alexis SimpsonDDemocratic Leader
  • Rep. Matthew WilhelmDDemocratic Caucus Chair
  • Rep. Russell MuirheadDDeputy Ranking Member· Election Law
  • Rep. Laura TelerskiDDeputy Democratic Leader

Also: Sen. Donovan FentonD, Sen. Debra AltschillerD, Sen. David WattersD, Sen. Tara ReardonD, Sen. Pat LongD

Public testimony

No one submitted online testimony on this bill. See the record

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate3–2
    Overall
    60% yea
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateRoll callInexpedient to LegislateAdopted16–8How they voted
    Overall
    67% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    16–0100% yea
    Democrats
    0–80% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs2:45–16:4213m 57slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floor2:04:47–2:06:461m 59slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Inexpedient to Legislate — adopted, roll call 16-8

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 9, 2025SenIntroduced 01/09/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 3
  2. Mar 4, 2025SenHearing: 03/04/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:15 am; SC 11
  3. Mar 13, 2025Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate, 03/13/2025, Vote 3-2; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenInexpedient to Legislate, RC 16Y-8N, MA === BILL KILLED ===; 03/13/2025; SJ 7

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

  • Introducedversion

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