Sununu vetoes bill that would change state primary elections to August

Gov. Chris Sununu (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - Saying he agrees with longtime Secretary of State Bill Gardner's assessment that changing the state's primary election "creates more problems than it solves," Gov. Chris Sununu on Friday vetoed HB 98, which would have moved New Hampshire's State Primary to the first Tuesday in August.

In his veto letter Sununu said changing the date from September to August would would be problematic for Granite Staters who often take their summer vacation in August.

He also said that moving the date to the summer could make it harder for communities to recruit poll workers and Election Day volunteers.

The governor said some supporters "point to the supposed challenge of election officials meeting the deadlines to send absentee ballots to members of the military or other overseas Granite Staters," but added New Hampshire has never failed to meet those deadlines as set forth by the federal government.

"New Hampshire's elections are the gold standard for the rest of the country, and our primary date schedule has stood the test of time," Sununu added.

The primary will continue to be held on the second Tuesday of September.