New Hampshire HB 1541: requiring the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.

Bill Text

HB 1541-FN - AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE

04/09/2026 1313s

2026 SESSION

 26-2744

 08/06

HOUSE BILL 1541-FN

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.

SPONSORS: Rep. Porcelli, Rock. 19; Rep. Bernardy, Rock. 36; Rep. Burnham, Straf. 2; Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17; Rep. Nelson, Rock. 13; Rep. See, Merr. 26; Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13; Rep. Wood, Merr. 13; Rep. Tenczar, Hills. 1; Rep. McGrath, Rock. 40; Sen. Innis, Dist 7; Sen. McGough, Dist 11

COMMITTEE: Election Law

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ANALYSIS

 This bill requires the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.

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 Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

04/09/2026 1313s 26-2744

 08/06

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.

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

 1 Secretary of State to Prepare Containers, Sealers. Amend RSA 659:97 to read as follows: 

659:97 Secretary of State to Prepare Containers, Sealers. The secretary of state shall, before any state and federal election, prepare and distribute to each town and ward clerk secure, durable, reusable, transportable, stackable and marked containers to be used for preserving ballots with locks, tamper-evident [and] sealers [to seal each such container] and registration or serial numbers for each marked containers. [He] The secretary of state shall prepare special durable and easily transportable containers capable of being secured and with tamper-evident sealers to be used for preserving any special and separate ballots for questions to voters. The secretary of state shall prescribe the size and form of such containers, locks and tamper-evident sealers and shall prescribe the form of any endorsement blank printed upon the sealers, provided that the blank is in substance consistent with the provisions of RSA 659:95. The secretary of state shall prepare an annual progress report and will include the number of secure containers replaced, locations, and planned container replacement for the following year. 

 2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect January 1, 2027.

 LBA

 26-2744

 04/24/2026

HB 1541-FN- FISCAL NOTE

AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE (AMENDMENT #2026-1313s)

AN ACT requiring the secretary of state to provide all voting precincts with secure containers for storing ballots.

FISCAL IMPACT: 

The Office of Legislative Budget Assistant states this bill has no additional fiscal impact on state, county and local expenditures or revenue as the Secretary of State's current operating budget can absorb the estimated expenditures related to this bill.

AGENCIES CONTACTED:

 Department of State