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HB 344 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee

Early processing of absentee ballots

AI-generated

enables the processing of absentee ballots before election day.

Allows moderators to open absentee ballot outer envelopes in public, with advance notice, up to one week before election day rather than only on election day, while keeping the inner ballot envelope sealed and secured until processing.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 20, 2025
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill enables the processing of absentee ballots before election day.

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 moderator or the moderator's designee may authorize the opening of absentee ballot outer envelopes [on election day] no more than one week prior to the time established for processing absentee ballots in RSA 659:49, provided that the opening of the outer envelopes occurs in public with notice of the time and place.”
RSA 659:49-b
“The envelope containing the ballot shall not be removed from the outer envelope at such time, and the outer envelope containing the inner envelope shall be secured until it is processed pursuant to RSA 659:50.”
RSA 659:49-b

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Gary DanielsRPrime
  • Rep. Peter PetrignoDRanking Member· Children and Family Law
  • Rep. Brian SullivanDSenior Democratic Advisor
  • Sen. James GrayRChair· Election Law and Municipal Affairs

Also: Rep. Paul DargieD, Rep. Clayton WoodR, Rep. Thomas SchambergD, Rep. Jack FlanaganR

Public testimony

536 signed in online · 101 wrote testimony

88% support12% oppose0% neutral

ForEases election-day workload for officials

AgainstWeakens transparency, chain of custody, and invites fraud

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I am writing in support of pre-processing of absentee ballots, HB344. Pre-processing absentee ballots was authorized during the Covid State of Emergency. It streamlined election-day operations enormously.…”
— Judy Strakalaitis, Derry · Derry Supervisors of the Checklistsupports
“Please support public pre-processing sessions which allow for greater transparency and the ability for voters to cure their ballots if they made a mistake.…”
— Cora QUISUMBING-KING, Doversupports
“Currently, election officials open and process absentee ballots on election day at the polls, meaning it is difficult or impossible for voters to fix any mistakes on their ballots in the event they missed a signature or other required steps.…”
— Laura Morrison, Concordsupports
“Maintaining the transparency of counting absentee ballots is crucial to ensuring they are processed correctly. There have been cases where absentee ballots were misplaced or not counted at all.…”
— Hon. ROBERT GIUDA, Warrenopposes
“This bill would weaken laws that are already on the books. NO.”
— James Goodwin, Brentwoodopposes
“I am totally opposed to this bill. I believe in the traditional meaning of "absentee ballot"; a citizen who cannot vote on the day of the election in person due to extenuating circumstances like being in the military.…”
— Jim Avallon, North Hamptonopposes

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
  • Feb 11, 2025HouseCommittee report· regular calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate10–8
    Overall
    56% yea
  • Mar 20, 2025HouseDivisionInexpedient to LegislateAdopted204–168
    Overall
    55% yea

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law5:12:49–5:13:581m 9slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law4:58:46–5:01:452m 59slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate — roll call; Executive Session
  • Mar 20, 2025Floor debateHouse floor3:57:30–4:00:563m 26slocated in the stream transcriptInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, division 204-168

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 8, 2025HouseIntroduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 2 P. 16
  2. Feb 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2025 03:00 pm LOB 306-308
  3. Feb 11, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
  4. Feb 11, 2025HouseMajority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate 02/11/2025 (Vote 10-8; RC)
  5. Feb 14, 2025HouseMinority Committee Report: Ought to Pass
  6. Mar 20, 2025HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA DV 204-168 03/20/2025 HJ 9 P. 43

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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