HB 356 (2025): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.
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- “HB 356 (2025): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.” Granite Record, https://graniterecord.org/bill/2025/hb356. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.
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- Granite Record. (n.d.). HB 356 (2025): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections. Retrieved 19 Oct. 2026, from https://graniterecord.org/bill/2025/hb356
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- Granite Record. “HB 356 (2025): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.” Accessed 19 Oct. 2026. https://graniterecord.org/bill/2025/hb356.
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@misc{bill-2025-hb356, title = {HB 356 (2025): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.}, howpublished = {Granite Record}, url = {https://graniterecord.org/bill/2025/hb356}, note = {Accessed 19 Oct. 2026} }
HB 356 (2025)
enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.
- Status: Vetoed, override failed
- Term: 2025-2026
- House committee: Election Law
- Senate committee: Election Law and Municipal Affairs
- Subject: Elections
The Story
It was introduced on January 8, 2025 and referred to the House Election Law committee. The committee held a public hearing on February 25, 2025, with 454 people signed in online: 10 in support and 444 in opposition. The committee met in executive session on March 4, 2025 and March 11, 2025. The majority recommended that the House pass it with changes (amendment 2025-0619h), and the minority recommended that the House kill it, by a vote of 10–7. The report was placed on the regular calendar. The committee's amendment (2025-0619h) was adopted on a voice vote on March 27, 2025, changing the text of the bill. On March 27, 2025 the House voted to pass it with changes on a division vote 200–173. It crossed to the Senate on March 27, 2025 and was referred to the Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs committee. The committee held a public hearing on May 13, 2025. The committee voted 3–2 to recommend that the Senate kill it. On May 15, 2025 the Senate rejected a motion to kill it. On May 15, 2025 the Senate voted to pass it on a voice vote and ordered it to a third reading. The bill was enrolled on June 12, 2025 — the final check of the text before it goes to the governor. The governor vetoed it on July 7, 2025. The legislature can override a veto with a two-thirds vote in both chambers. On December 17, 2025 the House voted 177–174 on overriding the governor's veto on a roll call, and the veto was sustained, failing to meet the two thirds threshold.
Sponsors
- Rep. Robert Wherry (R - Hills 13) (prime sponsor)
- Rep. Ralph Boehm (R - Hills 38)
- Rep. Diane Pauer (R - Hills 36)
- Rep. Deborah Aylward (R - Merr 5)
- Rep. Juliet Harvey-Bolia (R - Belk 3)
- Rep. James Creighton (R - Hills 30)
Hearings and Sessions
- February 25, 2025, 10:00 AM: public hearing, House Election Law, LOB 306-308
- March 4, 2025, 1:00 PM: executive session, House Election Law, LOB 306-308
- March 11, 2025, 9:00 AM: executive session, House Election Law, LOB 306-308
- March 27, 2025: floor debate, House
- May 13, 2025, 9:25 AM: hearing, Senate Election Law and Municipal Affairs, LOB 103
- May 15, 2025: floor debate, Senate
- December 17, 2025: floor debate, House
Votes
- March 27, 2025, House: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0619h — yeas 200, nays 173, passed
- May 15, 2025, Senate: Inexpedient to Legislate — yeas 10, nays 13, failed
- May 15, 2025, Senate: Ought to Pass — voice vote, passed
- December 17, 2025, House: Veto Override — yeas 177, nays 174, failed
The Docket
- January 8, 2025: Introduced 01/08/2025 and referred to Election Law
- February 25, 2025: Public Hearing: 02/25/2025 10:00 am LOB 306-308
- March 4, 2025: Executive Session: 03/04/2025 01:00 pm LOB 306-308
- March 11, 2025: Executive Session: 03/11/2025 09:00 am LOB 306-308
- March 11, 2025: Majority Committee Report: Ought to Pass with Amendment # 2025-0619h 03/11/2025 (Vote 10-7; RC)
- March 19, 2025: Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate
- March 27, 2025: Amendment # 2025-0619h: AA VV 03/27/2025
- March 27, 2025: Ought to Pass with Amendment 2025-0619h: MA DV 200-173 03/27/2025
- March 27, 2025: Introduced 03/27/2025 and Referred to Election Law and Municipal Affairs
- May 13, 2025: Hearing: 05/13/2025, Room 103, LOB, 09:25 am
- May 15, 2025: Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate, 05/15/2025, Vote 3-2; SC 21A
- May 15, 2025: Inexpedient to Legislate, RC 10Y-13N, MF; 05/15/2025
- May 15, 2025: Sen. Lang Moved Ought to Pass; 05/15/2025
- May 15, 2025: Ought to Pass: MA, VV; OT3rdg; 05/15/2025
- June 12, 2025: Enrolled Adopted, VV, (In recess 06/12/2025)
- June 12, 2025: Enrolled (in recess of) 06/12/2025
- July 7, 2025: Vetoed by Governor Ayotte 07/07/2025
- December 17, 2025: Veto Sustained 12/17/2025: RC 177-174 Lacking Necessary Two-Thirds Vote
Laws It Would Change
Related Bills
- HB 1099 (2024): relative to partisan school district elections.
- HB 1099 (2024): relative to partisan school district elections.
- HB 1125 (2026): enabling school districts to adopt partisan school district elections.