HB 1198-FN-LOCAL – AS INTRODUCED
2012 SESSION
03/05
HOUSE BILL 1198-FN-LOCAL
AN ACT relative to updating voter birth information in the statewide centralized voter registration database.
SPONSORS: Rep. Winter, Merr 3; Sen. Odell, Dist 8
This bill requires the supervisors of the checklist to reregister or strike from the database those voters whose records in the statewide centralized voter registration database do not include a date of birth and place of birth.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
12-2058
03/05
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twelve
AN ACT relative to updating voter birth information in the statewide centralized voter registration database.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Update of the Statewide Centralized Voter Registration Database.
I. In addition to any verification carried out under the provisions of RSA 654:38 or RSA 654:39, supervisors of the checklist shall update voter birth information in 2015 in accordance with this section. The supervisors of the checklist in each town and ward shall obtain from the statewide centralized voter registration database the records of voters in the town or ward for whom the database shows the default date of birth, appearing as “January 5, 1776,” or no place of birth. UOCAVA voters for whom the place of birth has been entered as “FPCA, New Hampshire” shall be considered as having registered a valid place of birth.
II. Between April 1 and August 1 of 2015, the supervisors of the checklist shall advertise notice of their sessions at least twice in a newspaper of general circulation in the town or ward and hold sufficient sessions for updating voter birth information in the statewide centralized voter registration database as in their opinion will enable voters required to register in said town or ward to appear before them and reregister.
III. Beginning June 1 of 2015, the supervisors of the checklist shall strike from the statewide centralized voter registration database the names of all persons identified under paragraph I who have not reregistered; 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 received in person or been sent to his or her last known address notice by the supervisors 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 the checklist nor unless such person shall have been given a reasonable opportunity to follow said procedure.
IV. Upon completion of the update of voter birth information, but in no event later than October 1, 2015, the supervisors of the checklist shall file with the secretary of state the following certificate: We, the supervisors of the checklist of the town (or ward __________) of __________, do hereby certify that we have verified that the records in the statewide centralized voter registration database of registered voters in the town (or ward __________ of the city) of __________, contain a date of birth and a place of birth for all registered voters in the town (or ward __________ of the city) of __________.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
LBAO
12-2058
11/02/11
HB 1198-FN-LOCAL - FISCAL NOTE
AN ACT relative to updating voter birth information in the statewide centralized voter registration database.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The Department of State and the New Hampshire Municipal Association state this bill would increase local expenditures by indeterminable amounts in FY 2015 and FY 2016. There will be no fiscal impact on state and county expenditures, or state, county, and local revenues.
METHODOLOGY:
The Department of State states this bill would require supervisors of the checklist to purge the voter database of those voters who do not have accurate date or place of birth information and were not previously required to present updated information when the statewide centralized voter database was created. The Department estimates there are approximately 185,000 names that would be affected and each correction would take eight minutes or a total of 24,667 hours (185,000 names X 8 minutes = 1,480,000 minutes ÷ 60 minutes = 24,667 hours). The Department further estimates the rate of $10 per hour for personnel making corrections resulting in an overall personnel cost of approximately $246,670. The Department also estimates the cost of $0.70 per purge letter to be sent out to each voter at a total cost of $129,500 (185,000 names X $0.70 = $129,500). In total, the Department estimates a total increase to local expenditures of $376,170 ($246,670 + $129,500) spread over FY 2015 and FY 2016. The Department states any additional costs it might incur as a result of this bill would likely be absorbed in its budget.
The New Hampshire Municipal Association states this bill modifies the requirements for voter verification under RSA 654:38 or 654:39 and requires supervisors of the checklist to advertise, between the period of April 1, 2015 and August 1, 2015, a notice of at least one public session for the expressed purpose of updating and verifying voter birth information in conjunction with the statewide centralized voter registration database. The Association further states this bill would require supervisors of the checklist to notify voters directly regarding the need to reregister or they risk being stricken from the voter checklist. The Association states there will be costs associated with this bill but does not have sufficient information to determine the extent of the impact on local expenditures.