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Committee backs removing 'Saturday' requirement for supervisor checklist sessions to avoid safety risks
Summary
The committee voted 'ought to pass' on House Bill 269, which removes a statutory requirement that certain supervisor of checklist sessions occur on a Saturday; supporters cited safety and staffing problems during snow emergencies.
Representative Caitlin Coutab introduced House Bill 269 as a housekeeping measure to remove the word “Saturday” from a specific RSA provision that currently requires a supervisor-of-checklist session to be held on a Saturday for town elections.
Coutab told the Senate committee the change would make the statute consistent with other RSAs and would give supervisors flexibility when severe weather or other emergencies make holding a Saturday session hazardous. “This will make it consistent with the other RSAs which previously removed the word Saturday,” she said, adding that the Secretary of State supports the change.
Eileen Moschimo, supervisor of the voter checklist in Wyndham, described how the March 4, 2023, snowstorm forced a town plow to clear a town-hall parking lot so a session could be held, diverting resources from street plowing and creating safety risks. “The word Saturday remaining in this section of the law has caused the major inconvenience and safety issues,” she said. Moschimo said supervisors now receive death-record matches from the state voter registration system and need flexibility in scheduling.
Linda Bundy (Antrim) also testified in support, saying the ability of a small group of voters to delay timing had been used in other contexts and that local officials and clerks favor the bill.
In executive session the committee moved and passed a motion that House Bill 269 be reported “ought to pass.” Senator Rocheford made the motion and Senator Lang seconded; the committee recorded the voice vote as affirmative.
