This bill proposes the implementation of a single primary ballot for state and congressional elections, allowing all registered voters to vote for any candidate listed, regardless of party affiliation. The current law, RSA 656:23, is repealed and replaced with new language that states candidates may indicate their political party preference, but this does not imply endorsement by the party. Additionally, the bill amends RSA 656:28 to remove the requirement for sample ballots to be printed on tinted paper and eliminates the need for separate sample ballots for each political party. It also modifies RSA 659:14 to allow any registered voter to participate in the primary election without needing to declare their party affiliation at the time of voting.

Furthermore, the bill repeals several existing statutes related to party registration and primary elections, including RSA 656:25, which pertains to colored ballots for different parties, and RSA 654:34, which restricts changes in party registration before a primary. The bill mandates that the Secretary of State's office conduct a statewide education campaign to inform voters about these changes, which is estimated to cost over $2.5 million annually. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 656:28, 659:14, 654:38, 654:39