Gov. John Lynch vetoed a bill Monday that requires all voters to present photo identification at the polls in order to cast a ballot. Lynch said the bill, Senate Bill 129, “creates a real risk that New Hampshire voters will be denied their right to vote.
“Voter turnout in New Hampshire is among the highest in the nation, election after election. There is no voter fraud problem in New Hampshire. We already have strong elections laws that are effective in regulating our elections,” Lynch said. The House and Senate can override Lynch’s veto, if leaders can garner two-thirds majorities. A session to deal with vetoes is expected in the fall.
Last week, lawmakers cast successful overrides of Lynch vetoes of bills on parental notification, minimum wage and fire sprinkler regulation.
SB 129 requires a person to present a valid photo ID in order to obtain a ballot beginning with elections in November 2012. It also allows a person without an ID to vote with a provisional ballot, which will be stored until the voter presents an ID, for a maximum of three days.
The Senate version of the bill would have allowed a person without a photo ID to vote, but would have required the voter to allow a picture to be taken and stored by local election officials. It did not allow for provisional ballots, an aspect of the House bill that local election officials and Secretary of State William Gardner oppose.
Full Article: Lynch vetoes bill requiring photo ID at polls | New Hampshire NEWS06.