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Representative proposes requiring publicly available polling places after towns lose longstanding locations
Summary
Rep. Jim Gazowski Jr. told the Senate Election Law & Municipal Affairs Committee HB1604 would close a gap that left towns scrambling for polling places after long‑used sites decline to host elections; senators raised concerns about fire stations, charter schools and perceived 'commandeering.'
Rep. Jim Gazowski Jr. (Rockingham 1) told the Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs Committee that House Bill 1604 is a “simple, targeted” fix to an oversight in state election law that can leave a town without a compliant polling place on short notice.
Gazowski said his hometown of Northwood experienced the problem in 2023 when a long‑used polling site declined to host a special election. He said the select board attempted to secure the school as an alternate site but that the school board declined, leaving the town to hold the special election at a site that did not meet statutory criteria. “There’s nothing in the statute that says that place that was found is now required to actually hold the election,” Gazowski said, summarizing the bill’s intent to require availability and to have the municipality cover incidental costs such as cleanup and janitorial services.
Senators pressed the sponsor on specific provisions. One questioned whether including fire stations and other facilities in the bill would risk operational disruption during emergencies; Gazowski said the bill is written to allow continued normal operations and that a select board would coordinate with facility operators before designating a site. Another senator raised the inclusion of charter schools — public in function but not always publicly owned — and warned the bill could be read as commandeering privately owned property that happens to be a public charter school facility. Gazowski said he is open to removing or tightening language about charter schools and that the measure is not intended to commandeer facilities.
Members also discussed regional/cooperative school districts and practical notice requirements for schools that may need to set teacher workshop days to accommodate an election. Gazowski agreed that timing and notice are reasonable concerns and said he is open to amendments; several senators suggested adding notice windows so schools and other sites can plan around elections.
The public hearing record for HB1604 included two people signed in support in person and zero online; the committee closed public testimony and moved on to related procedural business.
