Towns may adopt a “partisan ballot system” to elect town officers. A town that has adopted a “partisan ballot system” to elect town officers means that town officers must be publicly affiliated with a political party or are publicly independent. Adopting a “partisan ballot system” to elect town officers would increase the popularity of third parties and independents.

No municipalities have adopted a partisan ballot system.

Petition Process

Towns

The minimum number of signatures needed is “25 or more registered voters or 2 percent of the registered voters in town, whichever is less, although in no event shall fewer than 10 registered voters be sufficient”.

RSA 39:3

Example

Shall the partisan ballot system for the election of town officers be adopted by this town?

Example Form

Forms