This bill mandates that towns and cities must establish at least one polling place for every 20,000 registered voters for general elections where the office of the President of the United States is contested. The requirement is effective as of January 1, 2026, unless a town or city submits a plan to accommodate more than 20,000 voters at a single location and receives approval from the Secretary of State. The new legal language added to RSA 658 includes the insertion of a new section, 658:11-a, which outlines these requirements.

The bill does not impose any fiscal impact on county revenue or expenditures, but it may lead to indeterminable increases in local expenditures, estimated to range from $10,000 to $100,000 for municipalities that cannot secure approval for fewer polling places. The New Hampshire Municipal Association has indicated that several communities currently have more than 20,000 registered voters, which could necessitate the establishment of additional polling locations to comply with the new law.