HB 418 · 2025 · House · Election Law Committee
Restricting absentee voting eligibility
AI-generatedrelative to eligibility for absentee voting.
Rewrites the absentee voting statute to limit eligibility to voters who will be absent from their town on election day or who are unable to vote in person due to a disability.AI-generated
Status
Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · March 26, 2025- ✓Introduced
- ✕House
- Senate
- Governor
- Law
Analysis
This bill requires voters to be either absent from the town or city in which they are domiciled or disabled and unable to vote in person in order to be eligible for an absentee 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
“The clerk may designate a deputy clerk or assistant to provide this service, provided the individual has taken the oath of office and has been trained in the requirements for using an absentee ballot and the procedures for issuing and receiving absentee ballots.”
“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.”
“Prior to any state election, the secretary of state shall prepare the following forms in such quantity as he deems necessary:”
“In the event an election is postponed pursuant to RSA 669:1, the provisions of subparagraph (a) shall apply to the day before the date of the originally scheduled election and the day before the date of the postponed election.”
Official record
gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source
Sponsors
- Rep. Katelyn KuttabRClerk· Judiciary
Also: Rep. Sandra PanekR, Rep. Alvin SeeR, Rep. Matt Sabourin dit ChoinièreR, Rep. Clayton WoodR, Rep. Kelley PotenzaR
Public testimony
1,315 signed in online · 431 wrote testimony
5% support95% oppose0% neutral
ForNotarized affidavits should be required to verify voter identity
AgainstRemoving work, caregiving, religious, and weather reasons disenfranchises voters
AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.
Read the argumentsIn their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted
“Our ballots can be viewed as money. You need to have accountability for a valid request for an absentee ballot. We cannot have election integrity if we allow absentee ballot requests without reason. We need an affidavit to ensure that there is no fraud.”
“Please SUPPORT this bill. Thank you, Deb Manchester Ward 12”
“Please SUPPORT this bill. Thank you, Dan Manchester Ward 12”
“HB418 imposes unreasonable restrictions on eligibility to vote by absentee ballot. There is no evidence that absentee voting or absentee ballot counting are abused or subject to fraud. NONE. The entire process is tightly controlled and open for anyone to observe.…”
“Please consider 2 issues: a healthy democracy depends on high voter turn-out; and voter fraud is VERY low, even in states where all ballots are mailed in.…”
“Please stop introducing bills based on voting fraud that is not an issue, rather a mechanism to keep people from voting. Please stop this!”
Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.
Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026
Votes
yeanay- Mar 18, 2025HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate16–0Overall100% yea
- Mar 26, 2025HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted
Hearings and debates
- Feb 4, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law1:13:57–1:26:4512m 48slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
- Feb 11, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamExecutive Session
- Feb 14, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
- Feb 21, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
- Mar 7, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
- Mar 14, 2025Public hearingHouse Election LawWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamSubcommittee Work Session
- Mar 18, 2025Public hearingHouse Election Law4:47–8:023m 15slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Subcommittee Work Session; 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
- Jan 9, 2025HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 01/09/2025 and referred to Election Law HJ 3 P. 8
- Feb 4, 2025HousePublic Hearing: 02/04/2025 10:20 am LOB 306-308
- Feb 11, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 02/11/2025 10:10 am LOB 306-308
- Feb 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/14/2025 09:30 am LOB 306-308
- Feb 21, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 02/21/2025 09:30 am LOB 302-304
- Mar 7, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/07/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
- Mar 14, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/14/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
- Mar 18, 2025HouseSubcommittee Work Session: 03/18/2025 09:00 am LOB 307
- Mar 18, 2025HouseExecutive Session: 03/18/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
- Mar 18, 2025House: Inexpedient to Legislate 03/18/2025 (Vote 16-0; CC) HC 17 P. 13
- 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.