HB 1203 (2022)

Repeals the changes in HB 1264 (2018), which removed the unique definition of domicile for voting purposes. HB 1264 required all voters domiciled in New Hampshire to follow residency laws, such as the requirement to register any car in New Hampshire. This bill also generally repeals changes from SB 3 (2018), which modified voter registration to add stricter requirements for voters who register within 30 days of an election. For example, this bill removes the requirement for the Secretary of State to conduct post-election voter registration inquiries. Some of these stricter requirements were ruled unconstitutional by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

The House rewrote the bill. The amended bill still repeals language the Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional, but keeps the definition of "temporary presence." This excludes short-term workers, including campaign workers, from voting. The amended bill also keeps language that requires people registering more than 30 days before an election to provide documented proof of domicile (living in New Hampshire).  A person registering less than 30 days before an election can sign an affidavit instead of providing this proof. The supervisor of the checklist must then use available public records to verify if the person is domiciled in the voting district, or refer the person's information to the Secretary of State if local officials cannot verify domicile.

The Senate made further changes to the bill, for example allowing election officials to use nonpublic information in the voter registration database to verify a voter's identity.

The House and Senate must agree on a final version of the bill.