SB 129 would require all voters to present government-issued photo identification or a NH state driver license in order to exercise their constitutional right to vote.  Students, youth, elderly, disabled, non-drivers would be unfairly impacted.

•The photo ID bill would severely impact the ability of the poor, elderly, disabled, minority groups and new residents to vote. The photo ID bill would create unnecessary economic and physical hardships for many who would need to secure documents to qualify for a non-driver ID.  There are 42,000 voting age citizens in New Hampshire who do not have a NH driver’s license or non-driver photo identification. Thousands more have photo identification that does not meet the requirements of this bill.
•This bill defines acceptable college identification for voting so narrowly that college students would not be able to use their student identification cards to vote.
•To prevent any qualified voter who does not possess photo ID from being turned away at the polls, the bill was amended with a costly proposal to provide picture taking equipment at each polling location in the state.
•New Hampshire does not have a history of voting fraud.  With the budget crisis facing our state and localities, we should not be proposing a costly new government program to address a rumored rather than a known problem.  Other states that have implemented photo ID requirements have had to budget millions of dollars for less severe changes in election procedures.
 

SB129 passed the State Senate and has been scheduled for a Public Hearing in House Election Law Committee April 12, 2011 at 1 PM in the Legislative Office Building Room 308.

 
Take Action!  What you can do to Oppose SB129:

1)      Come to Concord on Tuesday April 12th to testify against the bill.  If not testifying, show your opposition by attending the hearing and sign in on the sheet in the hearing room as “Opposed” to the bill.

2)      Call your state representative on the House Election Law Committee – if your state rep is not on the committee, call David Bates, Chair of the House Election Law Committee at               (603) 894-6987         (603) 894-6987 and urge him and his committee to oppose SB129.

3)      Write a letter to the editor of your local paper urging the NH House to vote against SB129.
 

After the Public Hearing:

4)      Contact your state representative(s) and urge them to oppose SB129.