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Death Penalty Repeal To Be Decided By N.H. Senate

Daniel S. Hurd via Flickr CC

An intense campaign to repeal New Hampshire's death penalty comes down to the wire with a vote by the full Senate.

The House last month voted in favor of repeal 225-104. Gov. Maggie Hassan said she would sign the measure into law.

Those on both sides of the issue say Thursday's vote is too close to call in the Republican-controlled Senate.

This marks the closest the state has come to repealing its centuries-old death penalty since 2000 — when the bill passed both chambers but was vetoed by then Gov. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat.

The House passed a repeal bill in 2009 but the Senate let it die after Democratic Gov. John Lynch vowed to veto it.

Repeal advocates plan a prayer vigil outside the Statehouse before the vote.

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