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CHAPTER 70
HB 1113 - FINAL VERSION
12Mar2026... 0806h
2026 SESSION
26-2646
08/06
HOUSE BILL
1113
AN ACT
enabling towns to establish a 3-year term for town moderators.
SPONSORS: Rep. D. Murphy, Ches. 11
COMMITTEE: Municipal and County Government
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ANALYSIS
This bill enables towns to establish a 3-year term for town moderators.
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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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
12Mar2026... 0806h 26-2646
08/06
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
AN ACT
enabling towns to establish a 3-year term for town moderators.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
70:1 Government of Town Meeting; Moderator. Amend RSA 40:1 to read as follows:
40:1 Election. Every 2 years
or 3 years, as provided under RSA 41:1-a,
[
commencing in 1978 or 1979, as applicable,
] a moderator shall be chosen by ballot, by plurality vote. The moderator so chosen shall assume office upon the adjournment of the regular town business meeting held in that year in accordance with RSA 39:1 or 39:2-a and upon qualification for office, whichever is later. The moderator shall serve through the adjournment of the regular town business meeting 2 years
or 3 years
following the moderator's election and until the qualification of a successor, whichever is later. The election of the moderator in a town shall be at the annual meeting [
in every even-numbered year
]
when the term of the moderator expires
. The election of moderators in city wards shall be at every other regular city election.
70:2 New Section; Three-Year Term; Moderator. Amend RSA 41 by inserting after section 1 the following new section:
41:1-a Three-Year Term; Moderator. At any annual town meeting under an article in the warrant, the voters may vote to determine if they are in favor of having 2-year or 3-year terms for the moderator. If the town has adopted an official ballot, the clerk shall cause the following question to be printed on said ballot: "Are you in favor of changing the term of the moderator from (here insert term option) years to (here insert term option) years, beginning with the expiration of the term of the current moderator?" Said question shall be printed in the form prescribed by RSA 656:13. If the town has not adopted an official ballot, the clerk shall cause the same question to be printed upon special ballots, which shall be used to determine the vote of the town. If a majority of those voting on the question vote in favor of a 2-year or a 3-year term, at the next annual meeting, when the current moderator’s term expires, the town shall elect a moderator for a 2-year or 3-year term in accordance with the results of such vote.
70:3 School District Elections; Regular School Districts; Optional Term. Amend RSA 671:6-a, III to read as follows:
III. The terms of the school district clerk, moderator and treasurer shall all be for one year, for 2 years, or for 3 years. The terms of only one or 2 of such officers shall not be changed independently of the other [
one or 2
] officers
, except for moderators as provided under RSA 671:11-a
.
70:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: May 18, 2026
Effective Date: July 17, 2026