New Hampshire will no longer allow citizens to vote without showing an ID, and it will no longer allow people to become registered voters without proof they are citizens eligible to vote.
On Thursday, Gov. Chris Sununu signed HB 1569, which removes any exceptions for proving voter identification, including the use of self-attesting voter affidavits as proof of identification. Under the current system, voters without identification could sign a statement claiming to be an eligible voter. If the voter did not provide evidence of his or her identity within seven days, their vote would be removed from the total.
It was a complicated system that involved multiple people handling ballots, creating opportunities for mistakes or mischief, critics said.
“Under the affidavit system, an individual could simply sign a statement asserting their eligibility to vote, without presenting any ID or supporting documents,” then House Election Law chairman Rep. Ross Berry wrote for NHJournal. “New Hampshire Democrats vehemently opposed this change, citing baseless accusations of ‘racism and voter suppression.'”
The bill also requires people registering to vote for the first time to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, passport, or naturalization papers. Democrats opposed those requirements as well, arguing that the burden of proving voter eligibility was unfair and discriminatory. During a June 12 press conference, Sununu appeared to agree.
Asked if he believed “somebody should have to bring a passport, or birth certificate to be able to vote,” Sununu replied, “I think the laws that we have on the books right now work very well.”
On Thursday, Sununu replaced those laws with the GOP-backed voting reforms.
“Voters in New Hampshire overwhelming support showing an ID to vote. This accomplishes that mission, and I applaud the governor for standing with the people today,” Berry told NHJournal.
It’s an issue that’s likely to come up during the current campaign season. Democrats in the legislature seeking reelection in November overwhelmingly opposed the law, while Republicans supported it. During a forum at New England College earlier this month, GOP gubernatorial nominee Kelly Ayotte expressed concern over the current affidavit ballot system.
“When it comes to our voter ID laws, you should have to live here, you should have to be a citizen,” Ayotte said. As for the affidavit ballots, “there’s not a lot of follow up on that.”
“I believe everyone should have the right to vote. But if you’re not actually a resident here, then you should vote in the state where you are a resident,” Ayotte added.
Democratic nominee Joyce Craig did not respond to a request for comment about the new law.
Before Sununu signed the bill, questions were raised about attempting to implement it before this November’s election. Outgoing state Senate President Jeb Bradley (R-Wolfeboro) solved that problem by not transmitting the bill to Sununu until last week. Given that the new law doesn’t take effect for 60 days, it will not play a role in the general election.
Opponents of increased ballot security were still outraged.
“NH Governor Sheds His Moderate-GOP Sheepskin and Reveals Himself As Another MAGA Wolf, Signing Voter Suppression Bill,” leftwing activist Seth Abramson posted on social media. “As Lawsuits Get Prepared, Granite State Voters Can Only Respond By Ensuring MAGA Kelly Ayotte Gets Nowhere Near NH Governorship.”
Republicans like Berry note the irony of the Democrats’ position on voter ID laws.
“This situation begs the question: Why do Democrats oppose requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration when such documentation is essential for numerous other programs they support?”
As for lawsuits, they are certain to follow. The ACLU of New Hampshire urged Sununu to veto the bill, and in a social media post Thursday it described the measure as an “anti-voting rights bill.”
The ACLU-NH would not respond to an inquiry from NHJournal asking whether it believes people have a right to vote without ever proving their citizenship or identification.
Sununu acknowledged in June that legal challenges were likely, in part because “anytime you change the law around voting, one side or the other is going to sue.”
But J. Christian Adams of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes ballot security, told NHJournal the organization would have New Hampshire’s back.
“Voter ID is a common sense way to secure our elections. The overwhelming majority of the public support it, and those who oppose it, and who will sue over this new law are on the far extreme fringe of American thought,” Adams said.
“PILF looks forward to helping defeat those who will try to undermine these important new laws. They have lost pretty much everywhere else they have tried to challenge voter ID.”
Sununu described the new law as part of the state’s “proud tradition and proven track record of conducting elections that are trusted and true. Looking forward to the next decade or two, this legislation will instill even more integrity and trust in the voting process.”
