MANCHESTER, NH – Although it remains unclear whether the charter amendment regarding the Manchester School District and the Manchester Board of School Committee will be legally enforceable, the question going before voters on Tuesday’s primary ballot regarding the city’s charter is much simpler.
Under Section 8.03 of the Manchester City Charter (see above), the city is required to ask voters at least once every 10 years whether to establish a charter commission to investigate either proposing amendments to the current charter or proposing an entirely new charter.
A “yes” vote authorizes the charter commission to be established. A “no” vote means that a charter commission is not established.
The makeup of a charter commission is laid out under New Hampshire Revised Statute (NH RSA) Annotated Chapter 49-B:4 and any recommendations to voters by a charter commission are presented under the guidelines in NH RSA Chapter 49-B:3 and NH RSA 49-B:6
Aldermen and “petitioner’s committees” can also propose charter amendments under RSA 49-B:5