SB 341 - AS INTRODUCED
2002 SESSION
03/09
SENATE BILL 341
AN ACT relative to the placement of candidates on ballots.
SPONSORS: Sen. Fernald, Dist 11; Sen. Wheeler, Dist 21; Sen. Below, Dist 5
This bill requires that the order of the party groupings on ballots be determined by a random drawing publicly conducted by the secretary of state. Current law provides that candidates of the party which received the largest number of votes at the last preceding state general election be listed first.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
02-3059
03/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Two
AN ACT relative to the placement of candidates on ballots.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Preparation of Voting Materials; Listing Candidates on Ballot; Order. Amend RSA 656:5 to read as follows:
656:5 Listing Candidates on Ballot. The names of all candidates nominated in accordance with the election laws shall be arranged by office in accordance with the provisions of RSA 656:7. The names of candidates for any one office shall not be split into more than one column. All candidates for the same office shall be placed on separate lines within a separate box. The name of each candidate shall be grouped according to the party which nominates the candidate[, and the names of the candidates of the party which received the largest number of votes at the last preceding state general election shall be listed first]. The order of the party groupings shall be determined by a random drawing publicly conducted by the secretary of state. The names of the candidates shall be printed with the given name first, and the candidates shall be listed alphabetically according to their surnames within each party grouping. The name of the party which nominates the candidate shall be printed near the candidate's name, but no candidate may appear on the ballot more than once as a candidate for the same office.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.