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HB1381 • 2026

extending the time of the party filing period.

extending the time of the party filing period.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Matthew Wilhelm (D), Ross Berry (R)
Last action
2026-06-22
Official status
SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

extending the time of the party filing period.

extending the time of the party filing period.

What This Bill Does

  • extending the time of the party filing period.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-06-22 H

    Signed by Governor Ayotte 06/11/2026; Chapter 129; eff. I. Sec 2 eff 1/1/28 II. Rem eff 6/11/26

  2. 2026-06-10 S

    Enrolled Bill Amendment #2026-2143e Adopted, VV, (In recess of 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  3. 2026-06-10 H

    Enrolled Bill Amendment #2026-2143e : AA VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  4. 2026-06-10 S

    Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/04/2026); SJ 14

  5. 2026-06-10 H

    Enrolled (in recess of) 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  6. 2026-06-04 H

    Conference Committee Report 2026-2093c: Adopted, VV 06/04/2026 HJ 15

  7. 2026-05-29 S

    Conference Committee Report #2026-2093c , Adopted, VV; 06/04/2026; SJ 14

  8. 2026-05-28 S

    Conference Committee Report Filed, #2026-2093c ; 06/04/2026

  9. 2026-05-27 H

    Conference Committee Meeting: 05/27/2026 10:30 am GP 228

  10. 2026-05-18 S

    Sen. Gray Accedes to House Request for Committee of Conference, MA, VV; (In recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13

  11. 2026-05-18 S

    President Appoints: Senators Gray, Lang, Perkins Kwoka; (In Recess 05/14/2026); SJ 13

  12. 2026-05-06 H

    House Non-Concurs with Senate Amendment 2026-1325s (Rep. Berry): MA VV 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  13. 2026-05-06 H

    Speaker Appoints: Reps. Berry, Qualey, Lane, Wilhelm 04/23/2026 HJ 11

  14. 2026-04-10 S

    Committee Amendment #2026-1325s , AA, VV; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

  15. 2026-04-10 S

    Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1325s , MA, VV; OT3rdg; 04/16/2026; SJ 9

  16. 2026-04-03 S

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment #2026-1325s , 04/16/2026; Vote 4-0; CC; SC 14

  17. 2026-03-25 S

    Hearing: 03/31/2026, Room 122-123, SH, 02:00 pm; SC 12

  18. 2026-03-06 S

    Introduced 03/05/2026 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs; SJ 6

  19. 2026-03-05 H

    Ought to Pass : MA VV 03/05/2026 HJ 6 P. 15

  20. 2026-02-24 H

    Committee Report: Ought to Pass 02/10/2026 (Vote 14-0; CC) HC 9 P. 14

  21. 2026-02-11 H

    Executive Session: 02/10/2026 11:00 am GP 158

  22. 2026-01-29 H

    Public Hearing: 02/03/2026 11:20 am GP 158

  23. 2025-12-04 H

    Introduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Election Law HJ 1 P. 18

Official Summary Text

extending the time of the party filing period.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
CHAPTER 129
HB 1381 - FINAL VERSION

04/16/2026 1325s
4Jun2026... 2093CofC
4Jun2026... 2143EBA
2026 SESSION
26-3164
08/09

HOUSE BILL
1381

AN ACT
extending the time of the party filing period.

SPONSORS: Rep. Wilhelm, Hills. 21; Rep. Berry, Hills. 44

COMMITTEE: Election Law

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────

AMENDED ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Clarifies that in case no declaration is filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the chairperson of the appropriate party committee or their designee shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person they designate to fill the vacancy.

II. Requires that a person designated to fill such a vacancy file a declaration of candidacy with the secretary of state within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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.
04/16/2026 1325s
4Jun2026... 2093CofC
4Jun2026... 2143EBA 26-3164
08/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six

AN ACT
extending the time of the party filing period.

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

129:1 Candidate Filing; No Declaration Filed. Amend RSA 655:32, I to read as follows:
I. In case no declaration shall be filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the nomination may be made by the appropriate party committee as provided in this section. The
chairperson of the
appropriate party committee
or their designee
shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person it designates to fill the vacancy. The person so designated may accept the nomination by[
, on or before the Wednesday following the expiration of the period for filing declarations of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:14,
] filing

with the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:17
within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period established by RSA 655:14
. Any candidate accepting a nomination under this paragraph who has already filed for an incompatible office as defined in RSA 655:10 shall withdraw the prior filing. Any vacancy created by the withdrawal of a filing may be filled pursuant to this section. If the candidate is designated for the office of governor, councilor, state senator, or state representative, he or she shall also file on or before the Wednesday following the period for filing declarations of candidacy the appropriate affidavit as provided in RSA 655:29. Any candidate so designated by a party committee who has not filed all the forms required by this section within the required period of time shall not have his or her name printed on the state primary election ballot for that office.

129:2 Elections; Nominations; No Declaration Filed; Version Effective January 1, 2028. Amend RSA 655:32, I to read as follows:
I. In case no declaration shall be filed by a candidate for any nomination to be voted for at a primary, the nomination may be made by the appropriate party committee as provided in this section. The chairperson of the appropriate party committee or their designee shall notify the secretary of state in writing of a person it designates to fill the vacancy. The person so designated may accept the nomination by filing with the secretary of state a declaration of candidacy as provided in RSA 655:17 within 10 business days following the close of the candidate filing period established by RSA 655:14. Any candidate accepting a nomination under this paragraph who has already filed for an incompatible office as defined in RSA 655:10 shall withdraw the prior filing. Any vacancy created by the withdrawal of a filing may be filled pursuant to this section. If the candidate is designated for the office of governor, councilor, state senator, or state representative, he or she shall also file on or before the [
Wednesday
]
second

Friday
following the period for filing declarations of candidacy the appropriate affidavit as provided in RSA 655:29. Any candidate so designated by a party committee who has not filed all the forms required by this section within the required period of time shall not have his or her name printed on the state primary election ballot for that office.

129:3 Effective Date.
I. Section 2 of this act shall take effect January 1, 2028.
II. The remainder of this act shall take effect upon its passage.

Approved: June 11, 2026
Effective Date:
I. Section 2 effective January 1, 2028
II. Remainder effective June 11, 2026