This bill amends current law to extend the term of office for certain elected county officers in Belknap and Merrimack counties from a 2-year term to a 4-year term. Specifically, it stipulates that starting with the 2026 state general election, county officers in Belknap County and, beginning with the 2028 state general election, those in Merrimack County will be elected for a 4-year term. The bill also aligns the election schedule for Merrimack County officers with the presidential election cycle, ensuring that these elections occur every four years concurrently with the presidential elections.

The bill modifies existing legal language in RSA 653:1, V and RSA 7:33 to incorporate these changes, adding provisions for the 4-year terms for county officers and county attorneys in Belknap and Merrimack counties. The effective date for these changes is set for January 1, 2027. The amendments replace the previous 2-year term structure with the new 4-year term structure, thereby altering the election timeline for these county positions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 653:1
As Amended by the Senate: 653:1, 7:33
HB1689 text: 653:1