0291-hb 1198

CHAPTER 291

HB 1198 - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT establishing a procedure for the 2001 voter checklist verification.

SPONSORS: Rep. Arndt, Rock 27; Rep. F. Davis, Merr 12

This bill establishes a procedure for the 2001 voter checklist verification that automatically reregisters only those persons who voted during the year 2000 or a 1999 city general election.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT establishing a procedure for the 2001 voter checklist verification.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

291:1 Temporary Suspension of Verification Procedures. The procedures of RSA 654:39 shall not be used during the 2001 verification of the checklist.

I. In addition to any verification carried out under the provisions of RSA 654:38, and notwithstanding the provisions of RSA 654:39, the supervisors shall use the procedure established in this section to verify the checklist in 2001. The checklist verification in 2011 and every 10 years thereafter shall be conducted pursuant to RSA 654:39.

II. Between April 1 and August 1 of 2001, the supervisors shall advertise and post notice of their sessions at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation and at the office of the town or city clerk or at the town hall and hold sufficient sessions for verification of the checklist as in their opinion will enable all eligible voters in said town or ward to appear before them and register or reregister as the case may be. Whenever a person is reregistered, his or her party designation, if any, on the checklist undergoing revision shall not be changed except as provided in RSA 654:34.

III. Beginning June 1 of 2001, the supervisors shall review the checklist and shall strike therefrom the names of all persons who have not registered in 2000 or 2001 or reregistered under paragraphs II and IV; provided, that there shall not be stricken from said checklist the name of any person duly qualified to vote unless such person, not less than 30 days prior to such action, shall have been sent notice by the supervisors at his or her last known address of his or her failure to reregister stating the procedure to be followed in order to reregister and have his or her name retained on said checklist nor unless such person shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to follow said procedure.

IV. For the purpose of this section, a person shall be deemed reregistered and need not appear before the supervisors if the person voted during the year 2000 in the presidential primary election; the state primary election; the state general election; or in a municipal election; school district election; special election; or any municipal vote, including 1999 city general election, in which the checklist was used.

V. Upon completion of verification of the checklist, but in no event later than September 1, the supervisors shall file with the secretary of state the following certificate: We, the supervisors of the checklist (or registrars of voters) of the town (or ward _______ of the city) of _______, do hereby certify that we have verified the checklist of registered voters in the town (or ward _______ of the city) of _______, pursuant to the provisions of the year 2001 verification of the checklist law.

VI. In verifying the checklist in accordance with this section, the provisions of RSA 654:38, IV and V shall apply.