The State Constitutional

Convention Clearinghouse

U.S. states where the people can use a periodic state constitutional convention referendum
to bypass the legislature's gatekeeping power over constitutional amendment

New Hampshire Constitutional Conventions

See The New Hampshire State Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse for information on New Hampshire’s November 8, 2022 and earlier referendums on whether to call a constitutional convention. The information below was a placeholder until that website was created.


Constitutional Amendment Section
of New Hampshire’s Constitution

Color Code: Highlights in red; Majority requirements in bold.

Article 99 [Revision of Constitution Provided For.] (Repealed)

June 2, 1784. Question of calling a convention to be submitted to the people after seven years. Delegates to be elected in the same manner as representatives. Questions to be approved by two thirds of qualified voters present and voting there on.

Amended 1792 detailing procedure for calling a convention.
Repealed 1980.

 

Article 100 [Alternate Methods of Proposing Amendments.]

Amendments to this constitution may be proposed by the general court or by a constitutional convention selected as herein provided.

(a) The senate and house of representatives, voting separately, may propose amendments by a three-fifths vote of the entire membership of each house at any session.

(b) The general court, by an affirmative vote of a majority of all members of both houses voting separately, may at any time submit the question “Shall there be a convention to amend or revise the constitution?” to the qualified voters of the state. If the question of holding a convention is not submitted to the people at some time during any period of ten years, it shall be submitted by the secretary of state at the general election in the tenth year following the last submission. If a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question of holding a convention approves it, delegates shall be chosen at the next regular general election, or at such earlier time as the legislature may provide, in the same manner and proportion as the representatives to the general court are chosen. The delegates so chosen shall convene at such time as the legislature may direct and may recess from time to time and make such rules for the conduct of their convention as they may determine.

(c) The constitutional convention may propose amendments by a three-fifths vote of the entire membership of the convention. Each constitutional amendment proposed by the general court or by a constitutional convention shall be submitted to the voters by written ballot at the next biennial November election and shall become a part of the Constitution only after approval by two-thirds of the qualified voters present and voting on the subject in the towns, wards, and unincorporated places.

September 5, 1792. Question of calling a convention to be submitted every 7 years.
Amended 1964 twice changing submission of question on calling a convention to every 10 years rather than 7 and providing that the general court could propose amendments.
Amended 1980 twice incorporating provisions of repealed Art. 99 and requiring all proposals be submitted at the next biennial November election.

Source: New Hampshire Constitution

Primary Sources

The Constitution Of New Hampshire: As Altered And Amended By A Convention Of Delegates, Held At Concord, In Said State, Approved By The People, George Hough for the Convention, 1792.

Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the State of New Hampshire 1876-1877, 1877.

Journal of the Constitutional Convention of the State of New Hampshire, 1889, 1889.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1902, 1902.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1912, 1912.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1918.

Manual of the Constitutional Convention of 1918, 1918.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1923, 1923.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1930, 1930.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1938, 1938.

State of New Hampshire Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1941, 1941.

Convention to Revise the Constitution, 1964, Evans Printing Company, 1964, 414 pages.

Report to the Fifteenth Constitutional Convention, Evans Printing Company, 1964.

Voters’ guide to proposed amendments to constitution of the state of New Hampshire, to appear on a special ballot at election on November 5, 1968. Questions one through six recommended by the 15th Constitutional Convention at its sessions of May 13 – June 10, and July 8, 1964; and questions seven through ten recommended by the 1967 session of the General court, 1968.

Secondary Sources

Van Loan III, Eugene, M., Amending the Constitution by Convention, 42 New Hampshire Bar Journal, June 1, 2001.

Marshall, Susan E. The New Hampshire state constitution: A reference guide. Vol. 39. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2004.