Vote Yes on Question 1
New Hampshire voters will find two questions at the end of this year’s ballot. You will likely hear a lot about the second one, the tax cap, but there has been little publicity about the first, a constitutional amendment to eliminate the office of Register of Probate. I’d like to provide some background and urge you to support this housekeeping measure.
Historically, the elected Register of Probate served as the clerk of the Probate Court, supporting the judge in handling of estates, guardianships, adoptions and supervising a professional staff.
In 2011, the legislature reorganized the district, family and probate courts into the circuit court. In the process they transferred the duties of the elected Register of Probate to a court clerk, leaving the register with a title with no responsibilities, no office, desk, phone or computer, but with a salary of $100 a year. Because it was in the Constitution, the title and position could not be removed by legislation.
The language of the amendment drops the Register of Probate from the list of elected county officials. if the amendment is adopted the person elected will not take office.
We have had seven elections since the position of Register of Probate was stripped of its duties. It’s time to eliminate this vestige of the past. The House and the Senate voted overwhelmingly to ask the voters to amend the Constitution to delete all references to this office. Please vote Yes on question 1 to eliminate this do-nothing job.