Data Request for Local Ballot Initiatives/Referenda (Secretary of State)

Jimin Han
MuckRock News
Dept MR 159880
263 Huntington Ave
Boston, MA 02115
Via US Mail and email: requests@muckrock.com<mailto:requests@muckrock.com>

Dear Jimin Han:

The Secretary of State's Office has received your Right-to-Know law request, dated March 6, 2024, for:
"I am requesting data on local ballot initiatives/referenda that took place in the state since 1972. Specifically, I need the following information to be included in the data.
1. Text of the ballot initiative/referendum
2. Local government where the election took place.
3. County where the local government is located
4. Election date
5. Result of election (votes for, votes against, pass/fail)
6. Threshold to pass (50%, two-thirds, etc)"

In New Hampshire voters vote locally at city, town, school district, and village district elections and meetings. Depending on the form of government selected locally, voters may vote on questions by official paper ballot or at a business meeting, where votes may be verbal, raised hands, or unofficial yes-no ballot. In cities and some towns an elected body is the legislative body that votes on these questions. Some local charters, in such towns and cities, however, have certain questions placed on an official ballot voted directly by the voters.

Each town and city maintains their own records on the questions, in most cases called warrant articles, presented to voters and the outcome of the votes on those questions.

Information is most readily available by reviewing the town report produced each year by each town which typically contains the warrant (list of offices and questions to be voted at the upcoming election) and the minutes of the prior years election/meeting documenting the results of the prior election. Contact each city clerk's office to determine the availability of City Council/Board of Mayor and Alderman meeting minutes and reports on the outcome of city elections.

The Secretary of State's office does not possess the records of votes in towns and cities on local initiative/referendum that you have requested.

The New Hampshire State library in collaboration with the University of New Hampshire, maintains an online archive of town annual reports which can be viewed here:
https://scholars.unh.edu/nh_town_reports/

Much less frequently voters vote on local ballot referenda on the state general election ballot. Most are local option votes, such as changing local polling hours at state elections, opting in or out of liquor or lottery sales etc. Voters also vote on statewide questions, such as whether to adopt a proposed amendment to the state constitution.

Every two years the Secretary of State's office publishes the N.H. Manual for the General Court that includes information on the results of the most recent state election, including the outcome of such referenda votes. The University of New Hampshire publishes an on-line archive of these documents here:

Internet Archive: Digital Library of Free & Borrowable Books, Movies, Music & Wayback Machine
https://archive.org/search?query=new%20hampshire%20manual%20for%20the%20general%20court

The 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 editions have not been scanned and posted yet on this site. The Secretary of State's office is sending those four books to you by US Mail to the address you provided.

When requested public records are available to the public on-line, providing the requesting party with the URL to access those records satisfies the Right-to-Know law.

To the extent you seek town or city records which are not available in these on-line archives, contact information for each town and city clerk is available here:
https://app.sos.nh.gov/clerkinformation

The default threshold to pass a question is a simple majority, however, in some cases the law requires a supermajority. The records described above will often list the requirements when the law requires a supermajority. Otherwise, the statutes addressing the subject matter will typically contain a statement of supermajority requirements. New Hampshire's laws are available on-line here:
https://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/nhtoc.htm

The New Hampshire Secretary of State's office does not maintain the information you requested in the form that California uses and publishes on their website.

This response and the records we are sending to you by US Mail fulfill your Right-to-Know request. This completes the Secretary of State's Office response to your request.

[cid:image001.png@01DA748E.BDA20160]
Orville B. "Bud" Fitch II
General Counsel, Assistant Secretary of State
New Hampshire Secretary of State
State House Room 204
107 N. Main St.
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
(603) 271-5335
www.sos.nh.gov<http://www.sos.nh.gov/> bud.fitch@sos.nh.gov<mailto:bud.fitch@sos.nh.gov>

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