2026 SESSION
26-2290
08/09
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 14
RELATING TO: qualifications for office.
PROVIDING THAT: candidates of the office of governor, state senator, and state representative shall be citizens of the United States.
SPONSORS: Rep. Kuttab, Rock. 17; Rep. Guzofski, Rock. 1; Rep. Prudhomme-O’Brien, Rock. 13; Rep. Wherry, Hills. 13; Rep. Rhodes, Ches. 17; Rep. Lynn, Rock. 17
COMMITTEE: Election Law
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ANALYSIS
This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution requires candidates for the office of governor, state senator, and state representative to be citizens of the United States.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type
26-2290
08/09
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty-Six
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROPOSING CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
RELATING TO: qualifications for office.
PROVIDING THAT: candidates of the office of governor, state senator, and state representative shall be citizens of the United States.
Be it Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the
Constitution of New Hampshire be amended as follows:
I. That article 14 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
[Art.] 14. [Representatives, How Elected, Qualifications of.] Every member of the house of representatives shall be chosen by ballot; a citizen of the United States, and, for two years, at least, next preceding his election shall have been an inhabitant of this state; shall be, at the time of his election, an inhabitant of the town, ward, place, or district he may be chosen to represent and shall cease to represent such town, ward, place, or district immediately on his ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid.
II. That article 29 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
[Art.] 29. [Qualifications of Senators.] Provided nevertheless, that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator, who is not a citizen of the United States, of the age of thirty years, and who shall not have been an inhabitant of this state for seven years immediately preceding his election, and at the time thereof he shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he shall be chosen. Should such person, after election, cease to be an inhabitant of the district for which he was chosen, he shall be disqualified to hold said position and a vacancy shall be declared therein.
III. That article 42 of the second part of the constitution be amended to read as follows:
[Art.] 42. [Election of Governor, Return of Votes; Electors; If No Choice, Legislature to Elect One of Two Highest Candidates; Qualifications for Governor.] The governor shall be chosen biennially in the month of November; and the votes for governor shall be received, sorted, counted, certified and returned, in the same manner as the votes for senators; and the secretary shall lay the same before the senate and house of representatives, on the first Wednesday following the first Tuesday of January to be by them examined, and in case of an election by a plurality of votes through the state, the choice shall be by them declared and published. And the qualifications of electors of the governor shall be the same as those for senators; and if no person shall have a plurality of votes, the senate and house of representatives shall, by joint ballot elect one of the two persons, having the highest number of votes, who shall be declared governor. And no person shall be eligible to this office, unless at the time of his election, he shall have been a citizen of the United States, an inhabitant of this state for 7 years next preceding, and unless he shall be of the age of 30 years.
IV. That the above amendment proposed to the constitution be submitted to the qualified voters of the state at the state general election to be held in November, 2026.
V. That the selectmen of all towns, cities, wards and places in the state are directed to insert in their warrants for the said 2026 election an article to the following effect: To decide whether the amendments of the constitution proposed by the 2026 session of the general court shall be approved.
VI. That the wording of the question put to the qualified voters shall be:
“Are you in favor of requiring candidates for the offices of governor, state senator, and member of the house of representatives be citizens of the United States by amending articles 14, 29, and 42 to read as follows:
[Art.] 14. [Representatives, How Elected, Qualifications of.] Every member of the house of representatives shall be chosen by ballot; a citizen of the United States, and, for two years, at least, next preceding his election shall have been an inhabitant of this state; shall be, at the time of his election, an inhabitant of the town, ward, place, or district he may be chosen to represent and shall cease to represent such town, ward, place, or district immediately on his ceasing to be qualified as aforesaid.
[Art.] 29. [Qualifications of Senators.] Provided nevertheless, that no person shall be capable of being elected a senator, who is not a citizen of the United States, of the age of thirty years, and who shall not have been an inhabitant of this state for seven years immediately preceding his election, and at the time thereof he shall be an inhabitant of the district for which he shall be chosen. Should such person, after election, cease to be an inhabitant of the district for which he was chosen, he shall be disqualified to hold said position and a vacancy shall be declared therein.
[Art.] 42. [Election of Governor, Return of Votes; Electors; If No Choice, Legislature to Elect One of Two Highest Candidates; Qualifications for Governor.] The governor shall be chosen biennially in the month of November; and the votes for governor shall be received, sorted, counted, certified and returned, in the same manner as the votes for senators; and the secretary shall lay the same before the senate and house of representatives, on the first Wednesday following the first Tuesday of January to be by them examined, and in case of an election by a plurality of votes through the state, the choice shall be by them declared and published. And the qualifications of electors of the governor shall be the same as those for senators; and if no person shall have a plurality of votes, the senate and house of representatives shall, by joint ballot elect one of the two persons, having the highest number of votes, who shall be declared governor. And no person shall be eligible to this office, unless at the time of his election, he shall have been a citizen of the United States, an inhabitant of this state for 7 years next preceding, and unless he shall be of the age of 30 years.
VII. That the secretary of state shall print the question to be submitted on a separate ballot with other constitutional questions or on the official ballot. The ballot containing the question shall include 2 ovals next to the question allowing the voter to vote “Yes” or “No.” If no oval is marked, the ballot shall not be counted on the question. The outside of the ballot shall be the same as the regular official ballot except that the words “Questions Relating to Constitutional Amendments proposed by the 2026 General Court” shall be printed in bold type at the top of the ballot.
VIII. That if the proposed amendment is approved by 2/3 of those voting on the amendment, it becomes effective when the governor proclaims its adoption.
IX. Voters’ Guide.
AT THE PRESENT TIME, there is no constitutional requirement that candidates for the offices of governor, state senator, and state representative be citizens of the United States.
IF THE AMENDMENT IS ADOPTED, there will be a constitutional requirement that candidates for the offices of governor, state senator, and state representative be citizens of the United States.