Moving state primary election looks unlikely this year
May 6—CONCORD — New Hampshire is likely to keep one of the latest state primaries in the nation, because the House of Representatives and state Senate can't agree on an earlier date.
The state primary is set for the second Tuesday in September, which is Sept. 10 this year.
The state Senate and Gov. Chris Sununu had supported legislation (SB 380) to move the primary up three months to June, starting with the 2026 election.
The House of Representatives and Secretary of State David Scanlan have gotten behind a bill (HB 115) to move the election up three weeks to the third Tuesday in August. The bill would make that change for this election.
Late last week, the House tried to call an end to the discussion, first voting to kill the June primary bill and then blocking the consideration of other bills on the topic by indefinitely postponing it.
A state Senate committee held a hearing on the August primary bill in March but has yet to make any recommendation on it.
Scanlan said the federal requirement that absentee ballots must be sent to military and overseas voters at least 45 days before the state primary, the September date gives New Hampshire little wiggle room in meeting that deadline.
House Election Laws Committee Chairman Ross Berry, R-Manchester, pleaded with his colleagues to go along with the June date.
" If you want to end this 45-day madness, you have to vote for June," Berry said.
Rep. Ralph Boehm, R-Litchfield, said the June primary would create logistical problems for town officials.
The state primary candidate filing period would be in March, around the time of town and school district meetings and local elections, he said.
"We are asked to vote for a bill that interferes with town elections," Boehm said.
Berry said the September primary created incumbent protection for both parties because new candidates do not have enough time after a primary race to raise money and attract enough support in a general election.
"Voters deserve to hear from both candidates. We need to unrig the game," Berry said.
Rep. Angela Brennan, D-Bow, said a June state primary could make it harder for local officials to have enough election volunteers.
"Moving the primary to June will create non-stop elections to the dismay of our citizens who are already experiencing election burnout," Brennan said.
Initially, the House voted, 190-176, to kill the bill.
House, Senate maneuvers
House Democratic leaders got the House to undo that vote so they could take up the stronger move to indefinitely postpone it.
House Majority Leader Joseph Sweeney, R-Salem, said this was an act of bad faith.
"Why would we indefinitely postpone an active debate on a policy subject that is actively being debated with the other side of the wall, unless we are afraid to engage in a policy debate with them between August and June," Sweeney said.
House Democratic Floor Leader Lucy Weber of Walpole said this step would prevent the Senate from "playing games," including placing a June primary amendment on a bill the House wants.
The House agreed, voting 189-176, to indefinitely postpone it.
Seven other House Republicans joined with Boehm in supporting that step. The three House Democrats were Reps. Kris Schultz of Concord, Jared Sullivan of Bethlehem and Jonah Wheeler of Peterborough. Rep. Maria Perez, a Milford independent, sided with GOP leaders and opposed indefinite postponement.
The Senate could decide to pass the August primary bill without any amendment.
In that way, the bill may not to come back to the full House for another vote.
This would by no means resolve the issue.
In 2022, Gov. Chris Sununu vetoed an August primary bill, arguing that election turnout could be lower because the date would conflict with voters' summer vacation plans.
Berry said he is convinced Sununu would veto it again.
The House support for an August primary taken up last January was 281-82, larger than the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.
Sununu has enjoyed strong support for his vetoes in the state Senate, where Republicans outnumber Democrats, 14-10.
