Read Part One: Introduction here.
Read Part Seven: Senate President's Speech to Adjournment here.
Written by Andrew Horn of Amherst, NH.
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The Speaker reads down a blue paper on his desk, noting who nominates and seconds Paul C. Smith for Clerk, the job Mr. Smith currently holds, for the 2025-2026 biennium. No one else is nominated for Clerk.
The Speaker says, “Rep. Margery Smith moves that the nominations be closed and one ballot cast for Paul C. Smith and declare him the duly elected Clerk for the House for the 2025-26 biennium.”
The body stands and applauds.
The Speaker says, “Thank you all, but you didn’t give me a chance to finish. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor say ‘aye,’ those opposed ‘nay,’ the ayes have it, and Paul C. Smith is declared Clerk of the House for the 2025-26 biennium.”
Applause.
The Speaker conducts a similar election for JB Cullen, Sergeant-at-Arms.
The body stands and applauds.
The Speaker, still reading off the blue paper, says, “Would the Clerk come up please? Raise your right hand, and where appropriate state your name and town.”
The Speaker begins administering the oath, the Clerk repeating each line until he comes to this line: “discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as….” The Speaker pauses and the Clerk says nothing.
Then the Clerk reaches over and takes the blue paper from the Speaker.
The body bursts into laughter.
The Clerk continues: “that I will impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as Clerk of the House.”
One member cheers, more laughter through the body.
The Speaker, having retrieved the blue paper, says, “Okay. Representative, no, that’s it, yeah.” The Clerk steps forward and points something out on the blue paper. The Speaker says, “This sort of, you know, I haven’t done this in two years, so give me a break.” They finish the Clerk’s oath of office.
The body stands and applauds.
The Speaker says, “Well, it was a hell of a start.”
More laughter.
Electing the Secretary of State
“The House will come to order,” the Speaker says, still reading off the blue paper. “Well, no—no, that's, let's see. Resolution to form Joint Convention. Speaker. House will now attend to a resolution. Clerk reads this resolution.”
“Mr. Speaker, Representatives Smith and Simpson offer the following,” the Clerk says. “Resolve that the House inform the Honorable Senate: it is organized and is ready to meet in a joint convention for the purpose of electing a Secretary of State and a State Treasurer.”
“Are you ready for the question?” asks the Speaker. “All those in favor say ‘aye.’ Those opposed nay. The ayes have it and the resolution is adopted. The House will attend—We got about a few minute break here. They got to bring chairs for the Senators.”
Several men in suits bring in a vertical stack of 24 chairs and place them in front of the 400 Representatives.
Seventeen minutes elapse.
The Speaker says, “The House will come to order. Recognize the clerk for a Senate message.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Senate has organized and is ready to meet with the House of Representatives in Joint Convention for the purpose of electing a Secretary of State and a State Treasurer,” the Clerk says.
“The Chair recognized the clerk. Okay. Well, I thought we were ready, but—” the Speaker says. A pause. “The Chair recognizes the Clerk.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Honorable Senate,” the Clerk says.
The Senate enters the House door, and the body rises.
The Speaker says, “Joint Convention will come—”
“No,” the Clerk says. He motions with his hands and speaks to the Speaker off-mic.
“Recognize the Clerk,” the Speaker says.
“Mr. Speaker, the President of the Senate, the Honorable Sharon Carson of Londonderry,” the Clerk says.
Applause.
President Carson takes her place next to the Speaker, then the Speaker hits the gavel once, and the body sits.
“The Joint Convention has been formed for the purpose of electing constitutional offices of Secretary of State and State Treasurer,” the Speaker says. “Nominations for the Secretary of State are now in order. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Hampstead, Sen. Birdsell, for making a nomination.”
“Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and congratulations to you and the new House,” Sen. Birdsell says. “I'd like to place in nomination the name of David Scanlan for Secretary of State. ... Secretary Scanlan is a trusted nonpartisan resource for the legislature and for our communities. His team is one of the best in the state government. Their work results in elections that run smoothly, has some of the highest turnouts in the country, and have the public's trust. ... In order to manage these processes, we need someone with a steady hand, deep experience, and who is trusted to work in a nonpartisan manner. And lastly, because if you've ever been in their office during the summer, Secretary Scanlan was someone who was able to put air conditioning in that office. He has all of these characteristics and much more. David Scanlan is the right person for the job. I wholeheartedly support him for Secretary of State and hope you will join me in supporting him today. Thank you.”
Applause.
“Sen. Birdsell nominates David M. Scanlan for Secretary of State,” the Speaker says. “Rep. Leishman and McDonald second the nomination of David M. Scanlan for Secretary of State. Are there further nominations? There being none, Sen. Birdsell moves that the nominations be closed, one ballot cast for David M. Scanlan and declare him the duly elected Secretary of State for the 2025-2026 biennium. Are you ready for the question? All those in favor say ‘aye.’”
“Aye,” says the body.
“All opposed ‘nay,’” the Speaker says.
One member says, “Nay.”
“The ayes have it and David M. Scanlan has declared the Secretary of State for the 2025-2026 biennium,” the Speaker says.
The body stands and applauds.
Mr. Scanlan shakes the Speaker’s and the President’s hands.
“Well, thank all of you for this great honor,” says Mr. Scanlan. “It's a big job as Sen. Birdsell said. It is a state agency that the Secretary of State has to run. I appreciate her nomination and the seconds of Rep. Leishman and McDonald. You know, the Secretary is only as good as the people that work for him and the staff. … In terms of accomplishments over the last two years, the department has been very busy. We've had a lot of successes. But the largest one is the preserving the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, which is something that everybody in this room gets behind. We faced the largest challenge to that primary in the primary’s history. And I think the aftermath of that is that it is still as relevant as it ever has been. And, you know, I look forward to when we do it again in 2028. Thank you.
The body stands and applauds.
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Part Nine coming soon…
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