State House GOP Prioritize Attacking Secure Voting Process
- Amplify NH
- Jun 9
- 4 min read
Republican lawmakers in Concord are at it again: rather than prioritizing reducing the cost of living and addressing the challenges working families in New Hampshire deal with every day, Republicans at the State House are instead focusing on protecting their control of the State House by attacking voting rights for Granite Staters, specifically seniors, members of the military, people living with disabilities, parents, and working Granite Staters.
Last week, SB 287, a bill that would add major hurdles to absentee voting, passed the House floor vote, sending it back to the Senate.
Let’s take a look at what’s at stake for Granite State voters if this bill were to be signed into law:
More Hurdles to Cast Your Ballot
If signed into law, SB 287, as well as SB 218, will severely limit the ability of certain groups of Granite Staters, including seniors, voters with disabilities, parents, and working Granite Staters, to participate in our elections.
But let’s remember, New Hampshire already has a secure absentee voting process. In New Hampshire, voting by absentee is only available to those with a valid excuse and every voter who votes by absentee ballot must sign a sworn affidavit under penalty of perjury, a serious legal commitment.
But SB 287 will impose new hurdles on the absentee voting process. It does this by requiring voters who are requesting absentee ballots show proof of identity via:
A copy of the voters’ ID with the absentee application
A notarized signature on the absentee ballot application
Presenting an ID in person to the town or city clerk or their designee before being provided an absentee ballot
SB 218 further complicates absentee registration, requiring voters to produce proof of age, identity, citizenship, and domicile — even when they’ve already sworn to their eligibility under penalty of perjury.
Nearly 100,000 voters cast absentee ballots in the 2024 election and under this legislation, these votes would be put at risk and create more unnecessary paperwork and confusion for voters and election officials. Absentee voting works well in New Hampshire and we should be focused on maintaining a secure process with clarity and accessibility, not more red tape and confusion.
By passing bills like these, Republicans in the New Hampshire legislature have demonstrated yet again that they are more focused on finding solutions to imaginary problems by putting tens of thousands of Granite State voters at risk of not being able to cast a ballot, rather than solving any real problems. According to voting rights activists across the state, passing these bills into law only serves to limit democracy and access to free and fair elections.
“Let’s be clear: this is a direct assault on our democracy. These bills will make it harder — sometimes impossible — for seniors, voters with disabilities, parents, and working Granite Staters to participate in our elections,” said McKenzie Taylor, Director for the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights. “These bills just make it harder to vote, plain and simple. Now that they are advancing, the Senate has a choice: defend the fundamental rights of those they were elected to represent, or bend to the will of the extremist fringe that has corrupted the concept of free and fair elections.”
What’s Next for This Bill?
Since SB 287 has passed both chambers in different forms, it will next return to the Senate. Senators must choose whether to concur (accept the House version), non-concur (reject it), or request a committee of conference (negotiate further).
Non-concurrence in the Senate would delay or kill the bill, while concurrence would send it to the Governor's desk.
What You Can Do About It: Take Action This Week!
Call your state senator now and urge them to non-concur with the House-amended version of SB 287.
Call or email Governor Ayotte and demand she veto this bill if it reaches her desk.
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Thank you,
Ryan Mahoney
Executive Director