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SB 438 · 2026 · Senate · Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee

Voter database access at polling places

AI-generated

(Second New Title) relative to access to the centralized voter registration database on election days.

Requires the secretary of state and town and city clerks to ensure every polling place has access to the statewide centralized voter registration database during operating hours on election days.AI-generated

Status

Signed into law · July 9, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✓Senate
  3. ✓House
  4. ✓Governor
  5. ✓Law

Analysis

This bill requires the secretary of state and town and city clerks to ensure that each polling place in the state has access to the statewide centralized voter registration database on each state, local, and federal election day during the operating hours of that polling place.

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 secretary of state [is authorized to] shall plan, develop, equip, establish, site, and maintain a statewide centralized voter registration database and communications system, hereinafter referred to as the voter database, connecting users throughout the state.”
RSA 654:45
“The voter database shall include the current information on the voter registration forms, the accepted absentee ballot applications, the voter checklists, and voter actions as recorded on the marked checklist maintained by each city, ward, and town in the state.”
RSA 654:45
“The database shall maintain addresses in accordance with United States Postal Service standardized addresses as described in the current USPS Publication 28.”
RSA 654:45
“The secretary of state shall provide for a verification process that voters sharing a place and date of birth, along with a substantially similar name to include nicknames or likely maiden/married name changes, are unique voters.”
RSA 654:45

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Sen. Rebecca Perkins KwokaDPrimeMinority Leader
  • Sen. Timothy LangRVice Chair· Election Law and Municipal Affairs
  • Rep. Connie LaneDRanking Member· Election Law
  • Rep. Laura TelerskiDDeputy Democratic Leader
  • Rep. Alexis SimpsonDDemocratic Leader

Public testimony

134 signed in online · 19 wrote testimony

96% support4% oppose0% neutral

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“I support this bill relative to the sharing of data between the department of safety and the secretary of state for the purposes of verifying the accuracy of information in the centralized voter registration database.”
— Rozlyn Levine, Hopkintonsupports
“The NH legislature has passed so many laws making it harder for citizens in our state to vote.…”
— Debora Hatcher, Doversupports
“This bill makes sense. Please support SB438. Thank you, Ruth Niven, Franklin, NH”
— Ruth Niven, Franklinsupports
“there is too much monitoring and aggregating of private person information at the state and federal level.…”
— james sullivan, bedfordopposes
“The United States has a very very low rate of election fraud. Trump insisted after the election of 2020 that there had been massive fraud. Endless recounts and researches were done all over the country. A very minimal amount of fraud was found.…”
— Anna Meigs, lyndeboroughopposes

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

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 20, 2026Public hearingSenate Election Law and Municipal Affairs1:41:06–1:47:216m 15slocated in the stream transcriptHearing
  • Mar 5, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0773s; Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-0773s — adopted, voice vote; Committee Amendment # 2026-0773s — adopted, voice vote
  • Mar 31, 2026Public hearingHouse Election Law40:26–56:0515m 39slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • May 5, 2026Public hearingHouse Election Law1:53–5:544m 1slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1833h; Executive Session
  • May 14, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1833h — adopted, voice vote; Amendment # 2026-1833h — adopted, voice vote
  • May 21, 2026Floor debateSenate floor55:37–56:2447slocated in the stream transcriptSen. Gray Moved to Concur with the House Amendment — adopted, voice vote
  • Jun 4, 2026Floor debateSenate floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamEnrolled Adopted — voice vote

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

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026SenIntroduced 01/07/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 1
  2. Jan 20, 2026SenHearing: 01/20/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 09:30 am; SC 2
  3. Mar 5, 2026Sen: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-0773s, 03/05/2026; Vote 5-0; CC; SC 8
  4. Mar 5, 2026SenCommittee Amendment # 2026-0773s, AA, VV; 03/05/2026; SJ 5
  5. Mar 5, 2026SenOught to Pass with Amendment #2026-0773s, MA, VV; OT3rdg; 03/05/2026; SJ 5
  6. Mar 12, 2026HouseIntroduced (in recess of) 03/12/2026 and referred to Election Law HJ 8 P. 114
  7. Mar 31, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 03/31/2026 10:40 am GP 158
  8. May 5, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 05/05/2026 10:00 am GP 158
  9. May 5, 2026House: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2026-1833h 05/05/2026 (Vote 17-0; CC) HC 19 P. 12
  10. May 14, 2026HouseAmendment # 2026-1833h: AA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 18
  11. May 14, 2026HouseOught to Pass with Amendment 2026-1833h: MA VV 05/14/2026 HJ 13 P. 18
  12. May 21, 2026SenSen. Gray Moved to Concur with the House Amendment, MA, VV; 05/21/2026; SJ 13
  13. Jun 4, 2026HouseEnrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15
  14. Jun 4, 2026SenEnrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14
  15. Jul 2, 2026SenSigned by the Governor on 07/02/2026; Chapter 249; Effective 07/30/2026

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

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