New Hampshire § 661-8 - Section 661:8 Executive Councilor; State Senator; State Representative.

§ 661-8. Section 661:8 Executive Councilor; State Senator; State Representative.

I. If a vacancy occurs in the office of executive councilor or state senator, it shall be filled as provided in Part II, Articles 34 and 62 of the state constitution. II. If a vacancy occurs in the office of state representative from a single town or ward district, the vacancy may be filled following the provisions of RSA 655:81 and RSA 655:82 in the same manner as a state general election is held. In a multi-town or multi-ward district, a vacancy in the office of state representative shall be filled following the provisions of RSA 655:81 and RSA 655:82 by a special election if the selectmen of any town or the city for any ward in said district so request of the governor or council. III. Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph II, if a vacancy occurs in the office of state representative in a district comprised of a city ward or wards, a request to hold the primary and special elections on the same dates as the city's biennial primary and regular elections may be submitted to the governor and council by the governing body of the city. If so requested, the governor and council shall declare the vacancy not less than 56 days prior to the date of the city's primary election. The filing period shall start on the Monday following the date on which the governor and council declare that there shall be a special election and shall end at 5:00 p.m. on the Friday of that week. The provisions of RSA 655:81, III, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, and XI shall apply to elections held pursuant to this paragraph. IV. Within 21 days after proof of a vacancy or a request that a vacancy be filled, the governor, in the case of an executive council vacancy, or the governor and council, in the case of any other vacancy, shall declare that there shall be a special election which shall be held as provided in RSA 655:81 and 82 or as provided in RSA 661:8, III. V. No special election shall be held after March 15 of the second year of the biennium, as determined by RSA 655:81, I.