Remote participation in New Hampshire meetings: when a member may join by phone or video
Short answer
A New Hampshire public body may, but does not have to, let a member take part by phone, video or other electronic means, when attending in person is not reasonably practical and the reason is stated in the minutes. Except in an emergency, a quorum must be physically present at the place named in the notice. The public must be able to hear every open part, and every vote is a roll call.(RSA 91-A:2, III)
Where this fits in your meeting cycle: Clarivis is software that helps a board follow these steps: it counts the deadline for each meeting's notice, shows the minutes deadline for each meeting and drafts the minutes for your board to correct and approve; it does not post the notice or send it to a newspaper for you.
See how Clarivis helpsQuestions on this page
Can a board member join a meeting by phone or video?
Yes, if the body allows it. The law makes it the body's choice, not a right of the member.
Statute text
“A public body may, but is not required to, allow one or more members of the body to participate in a meeting by electronic or other means of communication for the benefit of the public and the governing body, subject to the provisions of this paragraph.”
This applies to a town or city body. Paragraph IV of the same section, with a one-third in-person minimum, is for boards of state government and does not apply to a local board. A meeting held this way is still a meeting (see the what counts as a meeting guide): it must follow every other rule of the law and "shall not circumvent the spirit and purpose of this chapter".
When is attending in person not reasonably practical?
The law allows remote participation only then, and does not list the reasons.
Statute text
“A member of the public body may participate in a meeting other than by attendance in person at the location of the meeting only when such attendance is not reasonably practical. Any reason that such attendance is not reasonably practical shall be stated in the minutes of the meeting.”
A board might record reasons such as illness or travel, but the statute names none. Whether a given reason meets "not reasonably practical" is a question for town counsel.
How many members must be in the room?
A quorum, unless there is an emergency.
Statute text
“Except in an emergency, a quorum of the public body shall be physically present at the location specified in the meeting notice as the location of the meeting.”
That means remote members do not make up for a missing quorum in the room. An emergency, for this purpose, means "that immediate action is imperative and the physical presence of a quorum is not reasonably practical within the period of time requiring action." The chair or presiding officer decides, and the facts go in the minutes.
What must the public be able to hear?
Every part of the meeting that must be open has to be audible or otherwise discernible at the meeting place.
Statute text
“Each part of a meeting required to be open to the public shall be audible or otherwise discernable to the public at the location specified in the meeting notice as the location of the meeting. Each member participating electronically or otherwise must be able to simultaneously hear each other and speak to each other during the meeting”
The same paragraph requires a member taking part remotely to "identify the persons present in the location from which the member is participating", and bars a meeting held by email or by any means that does not let the public follow the discussion as it happens at the meeting place.
How are votes taken when someone is remote?
By roll call. A remote member counts as present for voting.
Statute text
“A member participating in a meeting by the means described in this paragraph is deemed to be present at the meeting for purposes of voting. All votes taken during such a meeting shall be by roll call vote.”
What must the minutes show about a remote member?
The reason attending in person was not reasonably practical, and for an emergency, the facts behind the finding. The notice is the same as for any other meeting; see the notice guide and the minutes guide.
Checklist
Some items are the safe course, not the statute's words.
Before the meeting
- The body allows remote participation (whether a vote or policy is needed is listed below).
- The notice names the place of the meeting.
- A way for the public to hear every open part at that place.
At the meeting
- A quorum is physically in the room (unless the chair finds an emergency).
- Each remote member can hear and be heard by every other member, and says who is with them.
- Every vote is taken by roll call.
In the minutes
- Each remote member, and the reason attending in person was not reasonably practical.
- For an emergency, the facts behind the chair's finding.
What the law does not settle
These are questions to take to your town counsel; this guide does not answer them.
- Which reasons count as "not reasonably practical".
- Whether the body needs a written policy or a vote before it allows remote participation.
- What the notice must say when a member will take part remotely, beyond the time and place.
- Whether a remote member's reason may be a standing one for a whole term.
How Clarivis helps
At the meeting, Clarivis records how each member attended; it does not run the call, check the room or decide whether attending in person was practical.
- Remote is its own attendance state. A member is recorded present, remote or absent, and remote is never folded into present.
- Remote members count toward quorum. For New Hampshire, the Overview count includes remote members, so count the members in the room yourself. Clarivis does not check that a quorum is in the room or the roll-call votes, and it does not ask for the reason or any emergency facts: type them into the minutes yourself.
Related guides
- What a New Hampshire meeting notice must say, and when to post itTime and place, two places or a newspaper, the 24-hour count, emergencies
- New Hampshire meeting minutes: what they must include and when they must be open to the publicWhat minutes record, open to the public within 5 business days
- Nonpublic sessions in New Hampshire: when a board can meet in private, and what followsThe matters allowed, the motion and roll call, the minutes within 72 hours
- What counts as a meeting in New Hampshire: quorum, social contact and emailQuorum, chance and social contact, what is left out, and email
This guide for other states
Sources
- RSA 91-A:2, meetings open to public: gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/VI/91-A/91-A-2.htm (fetched Mon, Oct 26, 2026)