New Hampshire HB 1163: requiring the secretary of state to create and maintain a uniform election records management system.

Bill Text

HB 1163-FN - AS INTRODUCED

2026 SESSION

 26-2654

 08/05

HOUSE BILL 1163-FN

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to create and maintain a uniform election records management system. 

SPONSORS: Rep. Bernardy, Rock. 36; Rep. Porcelli, Rock. 19; Sen. Gannon, Dist 23

COMMITTEE: Election Law

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ANALYSIS

 This bill requires the secretary of state to create and maintain a uniform election records management system.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

 Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

 26-2654

 08/05

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to create and maintain a uniform election records management system. 

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

 1 New Subdivision; Election Procedure; Record Management. Amend RSA 659 by inserting after section 104 the following new subdivision: 

Uniform Election Records Management System

 659:105 Implementation of a Uniform Election Records Management System. 

 The secretary of state shall implement a uniform election records management system. The system shall permit accurate and complete recording of any information collected and shall meet all legal and regulatory requirements. The system shall: 

 I. Capture all records, paper and electronic; 

 II. Implement a uniform naming and indexing system; 

 III. Permit the ability to track record movement and activity of records for auditing and accountability while ensuring the chain of custody; 

 IV. Incorporate a uniform or identifiable retention system; 

 V. Permit efficient search and retrieval by authorized personnel, including New Hampshire citizens as legally permissible; 

 VI. Identify creation date, time if relevant, purpose, and authorization; and similarly for each updated document version; and

 VII. Identify training requirements and effective dates. 

 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

 LBA

 26-2654

 11/6/25

HB 1163-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS INTRODUCED

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to create and maintain a uniform election records management system. 

FISCAL IMPACT: This bill does not provide funding, nor does it authorize new positions.

 Estimated State Impact

FY 2026

FY 2027

FY 2028

FY 2029

 Revenue

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Revenue Fund(s)

None

 Expenditures*

$0

$200,000 to $500,000

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

General Fund

 Appropriations*

$0

$0

$0

$0

 Funding Source(s)

None

 *Expenditure = Cost of bill *Appropriation = Authorized funding to cover cost of bill

METHODOLOGY:

This bill requires the Secretary of State to implement a uniform election records management system designed to ensure the accurate, complete, and legally compliant recording of all collected information.

The Department of State already operates a records management system through the Division of Archives and Records Management limited to internal users, as it is not a public site. To meet the bill’s requirement of public access for citizens, the existing system would need to be significantly modified or expanded. The estimated one-time cost for this enhancement is between $200,000 and $500,000.

It is assumed that any fiscal impact would occur after FY 2026.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

Department of State