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SB 218 · 2025 · Senate · Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee

Absentee ballot ID requirements

AI-generated

(New Title) relative to absentee ballots.

Requires absentee ballot voters to submit information demonstrating citizenship, age, domicile, and identity, and removes the requirement that absentee ballots be placed in outer envelopes except when mailed to town or city clerks.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · August 4, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✓House
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill requires absentee ballot voters to submit information demonstrating citizenship, age, domicile, and identity in order to qualify to vote. This bill also removes the requirement that absentee ballots be placed in outer envelopes unless such ballots are mailed to town or city clerks.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as enacted. 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
“The applicant shall forward the absentee registration affidavit with supporting documentation and the applicant's voter registration form to the clerk of the town or city named for submission to the supervisors of the checklist.”
RSA 654:19
“The clerk shall mark the absentee ballot affidavit enveloped "voter verified" and note on the clerk's list of absentee voters that the voter has been verified.”
RSA 657:17-a
“If he or she refuses to certify the application, the town or city clerk shall notify the applicant in writing within 7 days to that effect.”
RSA 657:16

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. James GrayRPrimeChair· Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Public testimony

251 signed in online · 44 wrote testimony

88% support12% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“The City and Town Clerks Association has come out in favor of any allowance to pre-process absentee ballots. This bill allows the Clerks/moderators the ability to choose to do so therefore we support this legislation.”
— Joan Dargie, Milford · NH City and Town Clerks Associationsupports
“I support SB 218 which would help speed up Election Day results and allow applicants time to cure defects in ballots. Free and fair elections must include a process which makes all voting, present or absentee, easy. That is what true democracy is after all.”
— Holley Daschbach, Exetersupports
“Please allow our clerks to process absentee ballots ahead of time. It is wise, a good use of time and silly not to”
— Ann Heffernon, Swanzeysupports
“I oppose this bill regarding confusing language regarding outer envelopes for absentee ballots.”
— Nancy Jerauld, Litchfieldopposes
“Creates unnecessary work and confusion around absentee voting - when to use an outer envelope and when not to. Unnecessary and deters folks from voting.”
— Dawson Winch, Bartlettopposes
“What is the purpose of changing this procedure, which just places more burden on Town Clerks to learn new laws? I oppose these changes.”
— Ian Rogers, Warneropposes

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 13, 2025SenateCommittee report: Ought to Pass5–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Mar 13, 2025SenateVoice voteOught to Passadopted
  • May 27, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2407h (NT)10–7
    Overall
    59% yea
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteAmendment 2025-2407hadopted
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseRoll callOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2407hAdopted192–149How they voted
    Overall
    56% yea
    Party-line vote
    Republicans
    190–0100% yea
    Democrats
    2–1491% yea
    Resulting text: Bill as amended by the House
  • Jun 5, 2025SenateVoice voteSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of Cadopted
    Resulting text: Bill as adopted by both chambers
  • Jun 5, 2025HouseVoice voteHouse Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt)adopted
  • Jun 26, 2025HouseVoice voteConference committee report 2025-2835cadopted
  • Jun 26, 2025SenateVoice voteEnrolledadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Mar 4, 2025Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:04:32–1:05:511m 19slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 13, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass; Ought to Pass — adopted, voice vote
  • Apr 22, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law55:46–57:321m 46slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • May 27, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law33:11–38:104m 59slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2407h (NT) — roll call; Executive Session
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of C — adopted, voice vote; President Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess
  • Jun 5, 2025Floor debateHouse floor7:01:31–7:06:335m 2slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2407h — adopted, roll call 192-149; Amendment # 2025-2407h (NT) — adopted, voice vote; House Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt) — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateHouse floor31:19–32:0546slocated in the stream transcriptConference Committee Report 2025-2835c: Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled (in recess)
  • Jun 26, 2025Floor debateSenate floor5:33:10–5:35:021m 52slocated in the stream transcriptConference Committee Report # 2025-2835c, Adopted — voice vote; Enrolled Adopted — voice vote

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, 10:00 am; SC 11
  3. Mar 13, 2025Sen: Ought to Pass, 03/13/2025; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 12
  4. Mar 13, 2025SenOught to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/13/2025; SJ 7
  5. Mar 27, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/27/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 11 P. 113
  6. Apr 22, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 04/22/2025 10:40 am LOB 306-308
  7. Apr 29, 2025House==CANCELLED== Executive Session: 04/29/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  8. May 27, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 05/27/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
  9. May 27, 2025HouseMajority : Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-2407h (NT) 05/27/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC) HC 27 P. 19
  10. May 28, 2025HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  11. Jun 5, 2025HouseAmendment # 2025-2407h (NT): AA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 125
  12. Jun 5, 2025HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2025-2407h: MA RC 192-149 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 128
  13. Jun 5, 2025SenSen. Gray Moved Nonconcur with the House Amendment; Requests C of C, MA, VV; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
  14. Jun 5, 2025SenPresident Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess 06/05/2025); SJ 16
  15. Jun 5, 2025HouseHouse Accedes to Senate Request for CofC (Rep. Kofalt): MA VV 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 172
  16. Jun 5, 2025HouseSpeaker Appoints: Reps. Berry, Qualey, Burnham, Guzofski 06/05/2025 HJ 16 P. 172
  17. Jun 16, 2025Sen==RECESSED== Committee of Conference Meeting: 06/16/2025, 09:12 am, Room 103, SH
  18. Jun 18, 2025Sen==RECONVENE== Committee of Conference Meeting: 06/18/2025, 09:02 am, Room 103, SH
  19. Jun 18, 2025SenConferee Change; Senator Rochefort Replaces Senator Perkins Kwoka; SJ 17
  20. Jun 19, 2025HouseConference Committee Report # 2025-2835c Filed 06/19/2025; House Amendment + New Amendment HJ 18 P. 7
  21. Jun 26, 2025HouseConference Committee Report 2025-2835c: Adopted, VV 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 7
  22. Jun 26, 2025SenConference Committee Report # 2025-2835c, Adopted, VV; 06/26/2025; SJ 17
  23. Jun 26, 2025HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/26/2025 HJ 18 P. 64
  24. Jun 26, 2025SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/26/2025); SJ 18
  25. Aug 1, 2025SenSigned by the Governor on 08/01/2025; Chapter 0298; Effective 09/30/2025

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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