Sununu rejects New Hampshire primary date move

(The Center Square) – A plan to move New Hampshire’s late state primary date back several weeks has been torpedoed by Gov. Chris Sununu, who vetoed the bipartisan proposal.

The measure, which was passed by the Legislature in June with bipartisan support, called for moving the state primary elections to the first week in August.

Lawmakers who approved the measure argued that the move would boost voter turnout and provide a more even playing field for challengers running for state and local offices.

But Sununu said shifting the primary date would dampen turnout and create confusion in a system that hasn’t reported any major issues for voters.

“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 wrote.

The Republican said moving the date to August would set the primary for a time when many Granite Staters are on vacation and less likely to be involved in the electoral process.

“This change could lead to depressed voter engagement in the election and reduce turnout,” he wrote.

Sununu added that holding the primary election in the summer could also impact the ability of cities and towns to recruit election poll workers “greatly exacerbating a challenge that many municipalities are already struggling with.”

While New Hampshire is known for its ‘first-in-the-nation’ presidential primary, the state primary date – which has been held on the second Tuesday in September since 1910 – is one of the last in the nation. Only Rhode Island holds a later state primary.

Critics say the late primary favors incumbents because it gives challengers who win their party’s nomination little time to prepare for the general election.

At least 31 other states – including Connecticut, Vermont and Florida – hold their state primaries in June, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Secretary of State Bill Gardner, who oversees the state’s elections, opposes efforts to move the state primary date up in the calendar. He has suggested it would dampen voter turnout.

While most lawmakers support the changes, they’ve disagreed over setting the actual date for the primary.

A House bill approved in April would have moved the state primary date to the fourth Tuesday in June and would have taken effect just 60 days after its passage. But a Senate version approved in May would have set the August date and would delay implementation of the changes until the 2023 elections.

Despite Sununu’s opposition, recent polls have shown that voters back the changes.

A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll in February showed that at least 86% of voters support moving the state’s primary date.

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