SB509: relative to voter registration forms and relative to voter identity verification.

CHAPTER 190

SB 509-FN - FINAL VERSION

03/10/2016 0703s

20Apr2016... 1317h

20Apr2016... 1478h

2016 SESSION

16-2912

03/04

SENATE BILL 509-FN

AN ACT relative to voter registration forms and relative to voter identity verification.

SPONSORS: Sen. Carson, Dist 14; Sen. Birdsell, Dist 19; Sen. Bradley, Dist 3; Rep. Hoelzel, Rock. 3; Rep. Schroadter, Rock. 17; Rep. P. McCarthy, Hills. 29; Rep. Hinch, Hills. 21

COMMITTEE: Public and Municipal Affairs

ANALYSIS

This bill:

I. Modifies the voter registration form.

II. Changes the procedure for investigating new voters who do not confirm their status after receiving letters of identity verification.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

03/10/2016 0703s

20Apr2016... 1317h

20Apr2016... 1478h 16-2912

03/04

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Sixteen

AN ACT relative to voter registration forms and relative to voter identity verification.

Be it Enacted b190:y the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

190:1 Voter Registration Form. Amend RSA 654:7, IV to read as follows:

IV.(a) [A] Standard registration application [form] forms shall be used throughout the state. The registration [form] forms shall be no larger than 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches.

(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the voter registration form to be used for voter registrations, transfers, or updates other than those at the polling place on the date of a state general election, which shall be in substantially the following form:

_ NEW REGISTRATION I am not registered to vote in New Hampshire

_ TRANSFER I am registered to vote in New Hampshire and have moved my voting domicile to a new town or ward in New Hampshire

_ NAME CHANGE/ADDRESS UPDATE I am registered to vote in this town/ward and have changed my name/address

Date _

VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

(Please print or type)

1. Name _

Last (suffix) First Full Middle Name

2. Domicile Address _

Street Ward Number

Town or City Zip Code

3. Mailing Address if different than in 2

Street

Town or City Zip Code

4. Place and Date of Birth _

Town or City State

Date_

5. Are you a citizen of the United States? Yes _ No _

If a naturalized citizen, give name of court where and date when naturalized

6. Place last registered to vote _

Street Ward Number

7. Name under which previously registered, if different from above

8. Party Affiliation (if any)

9. Driver’s License Number State

If you do not have a valid driver’s license, provide the last four digits of your social security number

My name is . I am today registering to vote in the city/town of , New Hampshire. If a city, ward number .

I understand that to vote in this [city/town] ward/town, I must be at least 18 years of age, I must be a United States citizen, and I must be domiciled in this [city/town] ward/town.

I understand that a person can claim only one state and one city/town as his or her domicile at a time. A domicile is that place, to which upon temporary absence, a person has the intention of returning. By registering or voting today, I am acknowledging that I am not domiciled or voting in any other state or any other city/town.

[In declaring New Hampshire as my domicile, I am subject to the laws of the state of New Hampshire which apply to all residents, including laws requiring a driver to register a motor vehicle and apply for a New Hampshire’s driver’s license within 60 days of becoming a resident.]

In declaring New Hampshire as my domicile, I realize that I am not qualified to vote in the state or federal elections in another state.

If I have any questions as to whether I am entitled to vote in this city/town, I am aware that a supervisor of the checklist is available to address my questions or concerns.

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above qualifications for voting and do hereby swear, under the penalties for voting fraud set forth below, that I am qualified to vote in the above-stated city/town, and, if registering on election day, that I have not voted and will not vote at any other polling place this election.

_

Date Signature of Applicant

In accordance with RSA 659:34, the penalty for knowingly or purposefully providing false information when registering to vote or voting is a class A misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of imprisonment not to exceed one year and a fine not to exceed $2,000. Fraudulently registering to vote or voting is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.

(c) The secretary of state shall prescribe the form of the voter registration form to be used only for voter registrations, transfers, or updates at the polling place on the date of a state general election, which shall be in substantially the following form:

_ NEW REGISTRATION I am not registered to vote in New Hampshire

_ TRANSFER I am registered to vote in New Hampshire and have moved my voting domicile to a new town or ward in New Hampshire

_ NAME CHANGE/ADDRESS UPDATE I am registered to vote in this town/ward and have changed my name/address

Date _

VOTER REGISTRATION FORM

FOR USE AT THE POLLING PLACE ON THE DATE OF THE STATE GENERAL ELECTION

(Please print or type)

1. Name _

Last (suffix) First Full Middle Name

2. Domicile Address _

Street Ward Number

Town or City Zip Code

3. Mailing Address if different than in 2

Street

Town or City Zip Code

4. Place and Date of Birth _

Town or City State

Date_

5. Are you a citizen of the United States? Yes _ No _

If a naturalized citizen, give name of court where and date when naturalized

6. Place last registered to vote _

Street Ward Number

7. Name under which previously registered, if different from above

8. Party Affiliation (if any)

9. Driver’s License Number State

If you do not have a valid driver’s license, provide the last four digits of your social security number

My name is . I am today registering to vote in the city/town of , New Hampshire. If a city, ward number .

I understand that to vote in this [city/town] ward/town, I must be at least 18 years of age, I must be a United States citizen, and I must be domiciled in this [city/town] ward/town.

I understand that a person can claim only one state and one city/town as his or her domicile at a time. A domicile is that place, to which upon temporary absence, a person has the intention of returning. By registering or voting today, I am acknowledging that I am not domiciled or voting in any other state or any other city/town.

[In declaring New Hampshire as my domicile, I am subject to the laws of the state of New Hampshire which apply to all residents, including laws requiring a driver to register a motor vehicle and apply for a New Hampshire’s driver’s license within 60 days of becoming a resident.]

In declaring New Hampshire as my domicile, I realize that I am not qualified to vote in the state or federal elections in another state.

If I have any questions as to whether I am entitled to vote in this city/town, I am aware that a supervisor of the checklist is available to address my questions or concerns.

I acknowledge that I have read and understand the above qualifications for voting and do hereby swear, under the penalties for voting fraud set forth below, that I am qualified to vote in the above-stated city/town, and, if registering on election day, that I have not voted and will not vote at any other polling place this election.

_

Date Signature of Applicant

If this form is used in place of proof of identity, age, citizenship, or domicile, I hereby swear that such information is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge.

This form was executed for purposes of proving (applicant shall circle yes or no and initial each item):

Identity yes/no _

(initials)

Citizenship yes/no _

(initials)

Age yes/no _

(initials)

Domicile yes/no _

(initials)

Applicant Election Official

Notary Public/Justice of the Peace/Official Authorized by RSA 659:30

In accordance with RSA 659:34, the penalty for knowingly or purposefully providing false information when registering to vote or voting is a class A misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of imprisonment not to exceed one year and a fine not to exceed $2,000. Fraudulently registering to vote or voting is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000.

190:2 Letters of Identity Verification. RSA 659:13, IV(b) is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:

(b) The secretary of state shall prepare a list of voters from any letters mailed pursuant to subparagraph (a) that are returned as undeliverable by the United States Post Office and of voters who were mailed letters under subparagraph (a) and have not responded to the secretary of state. The secretary of state shall revise the list based on input solicited from the supervisors of the checklist. The secretary of state shall forward the revised list of names to the attorney general who shall cause an investigation to be made to determine whether fraudulent voting occurred.

190:3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

Approved: June 3, 2016

Effective Date: August 2, 2016