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Supervisors want Saturday language removed from voter‑checklist rule after storm challenges
Summary
HB 269 seeks to remove a leftover reference to 'Saturday' from RSA provisions governing the checklist session scheduled prior to local elections. Supervisors and town clerks told the committee a Saturday requirement caused safety and operational problems in recent storms and should be deleted to allow flexibility.
Supervisor Eileen Mashimo and other witnesses described practical problems caused when statutory language required supervisors of the checklist to schedule their last session on a Saturday within a specified window before an election. Mashimo recounted the March 2023 storm when supervisors were told they must meet and areas were hit with heavy snow, forcing municipal crews to prioritize clearing parking lots so clerks and supervisors could reach town hall.
Representative Caitlin Coutab explained the bill would simply remove the erroneous reference to “Saturday” and leave supervisors free to choose a safe date in the 6–13 day window before an election. Town clerk Tina Guilfoyle of Derry supported the change for flexibility and safety and said ordinary voter business often occurs in the week before an election so flexibility helps voters and municipal offices.
Witnesses noted the change is an oversight fix and urged prompt correction. The committee did not record a vote in the transcript.
