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 The current law, RSA 656:23, is repealed and reenacted to reflect this change, indicating that candidates may indicate their political party preference on the ballot, but this does not imply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 for each political party, and it modifies RSA 659:14 to allow any registered voter to participate in the primary election without needing to declare their party affiliation.

The bill also includes several deletions from existing law, such as the repeal of RSA 656:25, which pertains to colored ballots for different party primaries, and other provisions related to party registration and challenges to primary elections. Furthermore, it mandates that the Secretary of State's office conduct a statewide education campaign to inform voters about these significant changes, which is estimated to cost over $2,500,000 annually. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

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