New Hampshire's September primary election has long been one of the latest in the country, but the state primary day will move to June starting in 2028 under a new law signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte.
Backers of the change say moving the primary three months earlier will level the political playing field by giving non-incumbent candidates more time to win over voters.
Both political parties supported the bill creating an earlier primary.
Lawmakers debated the issue for some time before settling on holding primaries on the second Tuesday in June, a month when many other states ask voters to pick party nominees.
Supporters of the change in New Hampshire have long complained that a state primary in September gives challengers little time to raise money and attention before the general election in November. Rep. Ross Berry, a Republican on the House Election Law Committee, called the current system an “incumbent protection program.”
In 2021, former Gov Chris Sununu vetoed a bill to move primary day to August.
Both sides of the political aisle expressed concerns about summer vacation time conflicting with an August date.
The June date does not have universal embrace at the State House. During earlier debates on the bill, Rep. Jessica Grill, a Democrat who serves on the House Election Law Committee, noted possible “unintended consequences” of a June primary date, such as pushing the election season into the legislative session.
Current law requires the state’s candidate filing period to be held in June of even-numbered years. The new law pushes this declaration-of-candidacy window back to March.
Secretary of State David Scanlan had favored holding an August primary but has said his office will ensure a June primary is properly executed in 2028.
