CONCORD – Today House Republican Leader Gene G. Chandler (R-Bartlett) and Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess (R-Hooksett) offered the following comments relative to the public hearing on House Bill 287, a bill that would repeal voter ID requirements in New Hampshire.
House Republican Leader Gene Chandler (R-Bartlett)
“Last year, for the first time, New Hampshire voters could rest assured that the electoral process in New Hampshire was more secure. At a minimal cost, we were able to make sure ballots were being cast by individuals whose identity and domicile could be verified. Whether or not you believe voter fraud is or was a problem in New Hampshire, you could not deny that the potential for fraud was rampant. With this measure we gave our voters piece of mind. House Bill 287 seeks to repeal this common sense measure. It’s unfortunate we have to re-examine Voter ID measures, which a bipartisan majority of voters support. It would be helpful if we could observe how the process works for more than just one election before having to examine repealing it.”
Deputy House Republican Leader David Hess (R-Hooksett)
“The argument that there is no voter fraud in New Hampshire just doesn’t fly. As a result of the voter ID requirements, the Attorney General’s office is currently investigating several hundred people who cast ballots on Election Day without an ID, and did not respond to verification mail sent by the Secretary of State to their registered address shortly after the election. Whether or not their intent was malicious it does raise serious questions about their identity and legitimacy of their qualifications. We need to make sure this measure continues to be implemented and we have enough evidence to make an informed judgment on whether to continue it. After just one election, I don’t believe we’re quite there.”