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Two bills on voter registration and eligibility will be heard on Thursday, the 24th, in Rep's hall. Both of these bills could have a serious impact on how we register, how we vote - and above all, who gets to vote, in the state of NH.
HB 223 AN ACT eliminating election day voter registration
will be heard at 1:00 pm.
HB 176, AN ACT relative to eligibility to vote will be heard at 2:00 pm.
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HB 223 eliminates same day voter registration in NH. The language of the bill seems to indicate that registering voters is a lesser concern than ensuring proper ID, residence, and proper behavior on the part of election officials. Same day voter registration was enacted because NH did not want to comply with "motor voter" laws. This bill seems to be trying to ensure that there is no same day registration, AND, that only election officials can register voters.
This is so weirdly written that I may be reaching the wrong conclusions - so please take a look at it and give your opinions.
HB 176 is more clear cut. This bill is aimed at restricting the voting rights of college students and members of the military. The Republicans have long wanted to curtail college voting. The rationale being that college students are more likely to support liberal candidates. The GOP could have tried organizing on campuses, and attempted to win over college students. Instead, they went right for the heavy hand: attempting to deny them the right to vote in NH. (Pssst: Republicans? This isn't going to make your party more attractive to students)
An inhabitant's domicile for voting purposes shall be the most recent place where he or she as an adult or where his or her parents or legal guardians with whom he or she resided as a minor established a physical presence manifesting an intention to maintain that place as his, her, or their principal and continuous place of physical presence for domestic, social, and civic purposes.
AND
No person who prior to matriculation at any institution of learning in this state, and no person employed in the service of the United States who prior to being stationed in this state, had been domiciled in another place shall lose or change that domicile by reason of his or her presence in this state, but shall be presumed to have departed from such other place for a temporary purpose with the intention of returning.
Apparently it doesn't matter if you're here for years - if you lived somewhere else first, you're planning to go back.
Republicans have been trying for years to manufacture voter fraud in NH. They all talk about "widespread voter fraud" as if it actually exists. According to our Secretary of State, voter fraud is not a problem in NH. The results of the 2008 investigation into same day registrants with no ID turned up not a single incident of voter fraud. The GOP complaint is always something to the effect of: "busloads of people from Massachusetts coming up here to vote." Not according to Secretary of State William Gardner, or his investigators. They should know.
From the Speaker of the NH House:
college students registering to vote on Election Day "are basically doing what I did when I was a kid and foolish, voting as a liberal."
I've said it before: When Republicans win, it's because they have a mandate. When Democrats win, it's because of voter fraud. Just ask a Republican.
We cannot allow Republicans to set up discriminatory categories of groups who aren't allowed to vote.
Both of this bills will be heard by the House Election Law Committee, chaired by Rep. David Bates.
We need to have a strong, visible presence at these hearings, especially for HB 176. Please join us at the State House - this is incredibly important.
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