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HB 1125 · 2026 · House · Election Law Committee

Partisan school board elections

AI-generated

enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.

Allows individual school districts to vote to adopt a partisan ballot system for electing school district officers, including additional procedures for cooperative school districts.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the Senate — Inexpedient to Legislate · April 10, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓House
  3. ✕Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill enables school districts to choose whether or not to adopt partisan school district elections.

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

“For all districts which have adopted a non-partisan ballot system pursuant to RSA 671:30, the provisions of RSA 669:19-669:22 relative to filing for office and withdrawal of candidacy for a non-partisan town election shall apply to school district elections.”
RSA 671:19
“In addition to the requirements of RSA 671:49, a cooperative school district that has adopted the partisan official ballot system pursuant to RSA 671:30-a shall do the following:”
RSA 671:19-a
“Any school district may vote to adopt the partisan official ballot system for election of school district officers under an article in the warrant for any school district meeting.”
RSA 671:30-b
“Any school district may vote to rescind the partisan official ballot system for election of school district officers under an article in the warrant for any school district meeting.”
RSA 671:30-c

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Robert WherryRPrimeChair· Special Committee on COVID Response Efficacy
  • Rep. James CreightonRChair· Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services
  • Rep. Lisa FreemanRAssistant Majority Whip
  • Rep. Juliet Harvey-BoliaRDeputy Majority Floor Leader
  • Rep. Diane PauerRChair· Municipal and County Government
  • Sen. Keith MurphyRDeputy President Pro Tempore

Also: Rep. Deborah AylwardR, Rep. Sandra PanekR, Sen. Tim McGoughR

Public testimony

238 signed in online · 54 wrote testimony

3% support97% oppose0% neutral

AgainstSchool elections should remain nonpartisan

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“NHSBA is opposed to this bill. Given the number of hearings and executive sessions scheduled at this time, we will be submitting further testimony after the hearing, as appropriate. Thank you.”
— Rebecca Wilson, Concord · New Hampshire School Boards Associationopposes
“Public education benefits all of society, producing citizens ready to contribute to the greater good. Partisan politics has no place in public education.…”
— Karin Cevasco, Milfordopposes
“I believe HB1125 should be voted down, because school board elections should be always be non-partisan.”
— Michael Whitman, Lymeopposes

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 17, 2026HouseCommittee report· regular calendarCommittee report: Ought to Pass8–7
    Overall
    53% yea
  • Mar 11, 2026HouseDivisionOught to PassAdopted168–156
    Overall
    52% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateCommittee report: Inexpedient to Legislate4–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Apr 16, 2026SenateVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Feb 17, 2026Public hearingHouse Election Law1:29:39–1:30:0324slocated in the stream transcriptMajority Committee Report: Ought to Pass — roll call; Public Hearing; Executive Session
  • Mar 11, 2026Floor debateHouse floor6:15:52–6:18:583m 6slocated in the stream transcriptOught to Pass — adopted, division 168-156
  • Mar 31, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs4:59:10–5:00:191m 9slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Apr 16, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Inexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Election Law HJ 1 P. 7
  2. Feb 17, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 02/17/2026 10:20 am GP 158
  3. Feb 17, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 02/17/2026 01:40 pm GP 158
  4. Feb 17, 2026HouseMajority : Ought to Pass 02/17/2026 (Vote 8-7; RC) HC 10 P. 41
  5. Mar 4, 2026HouseMinority : Inexpedient to Legislate
  6. Mar 11, 2026HouseOught to Pass: MA DV 168-156 03/11/2026 HJ 7 P. 144
  7. Mar 12, 2026SenIntroduced 03/12/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 7
  8. Mar 31, 2026SenHearing: 03/31/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 11:00 am; SC 12
  9. Apr 16, 2026Sen: Inexpedient to Legislate, 04/16/2026, Vote 4-0, CC; SC 14
  10. Apr 16, 2026SenInexpedient to Legislate, MA, VV === BILL KILLED ===; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

  • Introducedversion

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