Committee Summary for Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs (01/14/2025)

Bill/Time	Type	Title	Sponsor
SB11 00:03:57.840 - 8:32:33 AM	Public Hearing	relative to the allocation of electoral college votes.	Gannon, Bill(R)[C+]2024
SB16 00:22:53.960 - 8:51:29 AM	Public Hearing	requiring municipalities to post a copy of election return forms on their websites and in public locations.	Gray, James(R)[C+]2024
SB45 00:33:52.480 - 9:02:28 AM	Public Hearing	clarifying the placement of political signs on municipal property.	Gray, James(R)[C+]2024
SB43 00:54:17.000 - 9:22:53 AM	Public Hearing	removing articles of clothing from the definition of electioneering.	Lang, Timothy(R)[C+]2024

SB11: Senator Bill Ganon, Sandown Support00:03:57.840 - 8:32:33 AM; Senator Ganon introduced SB11, which aims to align New Hampshire's Electoral College votes with the results in each congressional district. He explained that the bill would ensure a more representative vote by giving two electoral votes to the winner of the state and one vote to the winner of each congressional district. He cited historical examples, such as the 2000 election, where this system could have changed outcomes. He argued that this would encourage presidential candidates to engage more with New Hampshire voters and maintain the state's first-in-the-nation status.
SB11: Liz Torella, League of Women Voters of New Hampshire Oppose00:14:19.959 - 8:42:55 AM; Liz Torella opposed SB11, arguing that it could lead to more ties in the Electoral College, potentially sending the decision to the House of Representatives. She highlighted that only Maine and Nebraska currently use this system, and it did not result in more candidate visits to Nebraska. She questioned whether the bill would truly encourage more presidential visits to New Hampshire.
SB11: Ken Barnes, Kuka Oppose00:18:36.640 - 8:47:12 AM; Ken Barnes opposed SB11, arguing that dividing votes by congressional districts is arbitrary and could be manipulated through gerrymandering. He suggested that a more democratic approach would be to eliminate the Electoral College entirely and let the popular vote determine the outcome. He questioned why the voices of residents in one district should be prioritized over others.
SB11: Alvin C, Marac County District 26, Lden Oppose00:20:59.679 - 8:49:35 AM; Alvin C opposed SB11, stating that the Electoral College was designed to prevent large states from overwhelming smaller ones. He argued that implementing this system in a small state like New Hampshire would dilute that function, and suggested reconsidering if larger states like California or New York adopted similar measures.
SB16: Senator James Gray, Senate District 6, Alton, Gilon, Rochester Support00:22:53.960 - 8:51:29 AM; Senator Gray introduced SB16, which requires municipalities to post a copy of the election result form on their website. He explained that this would provide transparency and allow constituents to access voting information easily. He addressed concerns about the bill's language and potential burdens on small towns, expressing willingness to work with the committee on amendments.
SB16: Margaret Burns, New Hampshire Municipal Association Information Only00:31:02.720 - 8:59:38 AM; Margaret Burns expressed concerns about the number of places municipalities would be required to post election results under SB16. She acknowledged the importance of transparency but highlighted potential burdens on towns without websites. She offered to work with the committee on an amended version of the bill to address these concerns.
SB16: Autumn Rash Goodwin, Open Democracy Support00:31:53.720 - 9:00:29 AM; Autumn Rash Goodwin supported SB16, stating that it would increase transparency and accountability by requiring municipalities to post election results online. She mentioned a survey indicating that many towns do not currently post election results, and argued that voters have a right to access this information.
SB45: Senator James Gray, Senate District 6, Alton, Gilton, Rochester Support00:33:52.480 - 9:02:28 AM; Senator Gray introduced SB45, aimed at clarifying the legality of political signs in rights-of-way. He noted that many current signs may be illegal under existing statutes and suggested starting a conversation about how to regulate them. He expressed concerns about signs interfering with traffic safety and the need to respect property rights.
SB45: Ken Barnes, Kuka Information Only00:41:11.200 - 9:09:47 AM; Ken Barnes appreciated the initiative to clarify the law on political signs but expressed confusion about the bill's language. He questioned whether the 10-foot rule from the property line was intended to apply to the street edge or the private property edge. He also raised concerns about potential First Amendment issues.
SB45: Margaret Burns, New Hampshire Municipal Association Information Only00:47:43.119 - 9:16:19 AM; Margaret Burns expressed concerns about the potential constitutional issues of treating political signs differently from other signs. She noted that the bill would retain municipal authority over signage in rights-of-way but suggested it might need clarification. She offered to work with the committee on potential amendments.
SB45: Henry Clemento, ACLU of New Hampshire Oppose00:47:59.720 - 9:16:35 AM; Henry Clemento opposed SB45, arguing that it targets political advertising differently from other types of signs, which raises constitutional concerns. He also questioned the practicality and justification of regulating signs based on property ownership rather than proximity to roads. He emphasized the importance of protecting free speech rights.
SB43: Senator Tim Lang, District 2, Lakes Region, Campton, Thornton Support00:54:17.000 - 9:22:53 AM; Senator Lang introduced SB43, which seeks to clarify electioneering laws by removing articles of clothing from the definition of electioneering materials. He cited a Supreme Court ruling that passive campaigning, such as wearing political apparel, is protected under the First Amendment. He mentioned the need for an amendment to align the statute with this ruling.
SB43: Timothy Horan, State Rep, Durham Oppose00:58:28.400 - 9:27:04 AM; Timothy Horan opposed SB43, arguing that the polling place should be a neutral location free from electioneering, including political apparel. He mentioned his personal experience with a strict moderator and emphasized the importance of maintaining the current law to prevent disputes and distractions at the polls.
SB43: Ken Barnes, Kuka Oppose01:02:35.680 - 9:31:11 AM; Ken Barnes opposed SB43, arguing that removing articles of clothing from the electioneering definition could allow for human billboards in the no-electioneering corridor. He questioned the clarity of the bill's intent and urged the committee to keep the current law to maintain the integrity of the polling place.
SB43: Linda Callaway, Town Moderator, New Durham Oppose01:04:50.760 - 9:33:26 AM; Linda Callaway opposed SB43, arguing that allowing political apparel in the polling place would be corrosive to its nonpartisan atmosphere. She emphasized the importance of voting as a civic duty and questioned whether the bill would also apply to poll workers, highlighting potential complications.
SB43: Aaron Hennessy, Deputy Secretary of State Information Only01:06:49.640 - 9:35:25 AM; Aaron Hennessy provided information on SB43, noting that as written, it would allow the distribution of political apparel in the no-electioneering zone. He mentioned discussing potential amendments with Senator Lang to address unintended consequences, such as changes to the definition of electioneering affecting other parts of the statute.

Gray, James(Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	Lang, Timothy(V Chairman)(R)[C+]2024	Perkins Kwoka, Rebecca(D)[D-]2024
Rochefort, David(R)	Long, Pat(D)