State Senate Kills Common Sense Voter Protection Bill

CONCORD, NH - State Sen. Regina Birdsell, R-Hampstead, said in a statement on June 3, 2016, that she is disappointed that the state Senate voted to kill SB 4, establishing a 10-day voter residency requirement.

“We owe it to New Hampshire citizens to ensure that those who are in the voting booth next to them have a vested interest in the communities they are impacting through elections, however, the Senate failed to pass important legislation that would have strengthened elections in the Granite State," she said. "I continue to be disappointed that the committee of conference report on SB 4 was voted down this week, which would have established a critical 10-day residency requirement prior to voting in any New Hampshire election."

Birdsell said that previously, the state Senate "listened to our constituents, and worked hard to achieve a bill that is a strong balance between protecting the integrity of elections, while maintaining our citizens’ right to vote." She added, "I believe this common sense requirement, which is supported by a bipartisan majority of Granite Staters and Secretary of State Bill Gardner, would have done exactly that.”

New Hampshire has "a number of high-stakes elections coming up this year and this measure, which would have added an important check on our electoral system, preventing drive-by-voting and voter fraud, will not be in place to ensure proper protections for New Hampshire’s elections.”