A push to tighten the rules over who can vote in New Hampshire is moving forward, but opponents said it’s not needed and is only a controversy because of remarks made by the president. The bill calls for new standards for proving residency. Sponsor Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, said that new requirements are needed because every election, some of the letters sent by the Secretary of State’s Office to verify addresses of voters who take part in same-day registration don’t reach anyone.
…”The concern has been that there are individuals temporarily present in New Hampshire voting in our elections, and when that happens, it dilutes the vote of those who are truly qualified,” Deputy Secretary of State Dave Scanlan said.
But opponents of the bill said there’s no evidence that such a problem actually exists. “Public opinion?” Democratic minority leader Sen. Jeff Woodburn said. “My God. Are we going to base everything on public opinion? I mean what’s next? What’s next?”
Woodburn said the creator of the controversy can be found at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. “We are basing all this discussion on false charges by President Donald Trump that there is illegal voting in New Hampshire on large-scale levels,” Woodburn said. “There are not.”
Full Article: Senate committee approves bill tightening voting requirements.