Bill > HB409

This bill restructures the fee structure for election recounts in New Hampshire, creating different fee tiers based on the number of votes cast and the margin of the election results. For elections with more than 1,000 votes, candidates seeking a recount will pay fees ranging from $100 to $2,500, depending on how close the election was: $100 if the vote difference is 0.25% or less, $500 if the difference is between 0.25% and 0.5%, $1,000 if the difference is between 0.5% and 2%, and $2,500 if the difference is greater than 2%. For elections with 1,000 votes or fewer, the fees range from $50 to $150, with lower thresholds for the fee tiers. The bill also includes a provision that if a candidate loses the recount by a margin of 0.25% or less (for elections over 1,000 votes) or 1% or less (for elections with 1,000 or fewer votes), the secretary of state will return the recount fees within 10 days. Additionally, the secretary of state is required to prepare an annual report detailing the number of recounts, fees collected, outcomes, and associated costs, which will be submitted to the Speaker of the House and Senate President. The bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage and could potentially increase the number of recount requests due to the more accessible fee structure.

Government Affairs

https://gc.nh.gov/bill_status/legacy/bs2016/bill_status.aspx?lsr=0854&sy=2025&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2025&txtbillnumber=HB409