https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-05-05T07_11_52-07_00

Today’s Action Links:
NH’s Open Democracy Action
ACLU NH
League of Women Voters NH

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping your government by and for the people.

New Hampshire voters became the latest victims of the Big Lie Wednesday as its 400-seat legislature voted along party lines to adopt SB 418.   The bill throws out the state’s long-standing “Qualified Voter Affidavit” system, which allows a voter with incomplete documentation to sign an affidavit on penalty of fines or imprisonment, and to vote as usual.   Despite no evidence of misuse by the typical 650 voters statewide who must use the system, it will be eliminated if Governor Chris Sununu decides to sign the bill.

Instead, Granite Staters who don’t have a birth certificate when they register same day, or a driver’s license when they check in, will be instead given a provisional ballot.   The ballot will be marked, violating the secrecy of the ballot, and unless the voter returns within 10 days, will be thrown out and not counted in the vote total.   If signed, this rule will hurt more voters than it contributes to so-called “election integrity.”

While most voter suppression states use this as a tool to keep black and brown communities from voting, in New Hampshire, it’s college students, along with older voters, and the poor.  Same day registration is often used by students at one of New Hampshire’s several small colleges, and this term, younger voters have been targeted with several bills challenging their eligibility to vote.  

Students nationwide should contact their local town election officials or campus voting rights groups to find out state rules now, rather than waiting for the November midterm elections.

Granny D said, “Democracy is not  something we have, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.