This bill establishes new voting procedures for electing town officers in unorganized towns or places. It repeals and reenacts RSA 668:6, which outlines the responsibilities of the secretary of state or their designee in overseeing the first election of officers in these areas. The secretary is tasked with issuing a warrant, posting it as required, appointing a pro tem moderator and clerk from registered voters, and conducting the election using an unofficial ballot process. This process will be initiated when the number of voters in an unorganized town or place reaches 100 or more. Additionally, the bill mandates that a specific question regarding the future use of official ballot voting processes be included in the warrant for the first meeting.

Furthermore, the bill allows the secretary of state to designate a town as a polling place for state elections if they cannot appoint election officers due to a lack of qualified volunteers, provided that the local election is held at least 90 days prior to a state election. It also grants the secretary the authority to intervene if vacancies in local offices prevent an unorganized town or place from conducting their next election. The act will take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 53:1