A committee in the state Senate is throwing its unanimous support behind moving New Hampshire's state primary election day to early August, one month earlier from the current September date.
It’s the second proposal to shift the timing of the state primary: The Republican-led House is backing a plan that would move primary day even earlier, to late June.
At a meeting of Senate Election Law Committee Monday, Republican Sen. Regina Birdsell of Hampstead said the Senate proposal amounts to a compromise.
“It wasn't as late as September, but it wasn't as early as June, because obviously we got some comments from the town clerks offices, because June is a time when they are doing the tax bills for their towns or cities,” Birdsell said.
The Senate plan would also retain the current September primary date until 2023. Senators said the coming redistricting process will complicate things enough for candidates seeking office in 2022.
New Hampshire's September primary is one of the latest in the county. Backers of an earlier primary date said it will help non-incumbents. The Secretary of State's office, which oversees state elections, has opposed past efforts to move the primary day, citing tradition and concern over voter turnout.
