Requiring a voter to provide identification when requesting an absentee ballot.
Summary
HB 686 would tighten New Hampshire’s absentee voting application process by requiring voters to submit a color copy of government-issued photo identification when requesting an absentee ballot. It also requires the absentee ballot application to be notarized, and it directs that any applicant who makes errors or omits required information must cure the defects in person before the city or town clerk, while also proving domicile. The bill amends the absentee ballot application form itself and the procedure for correcting defective applications.
The measure would change RSA 657:4 and RSA 657:6 by adding new identification, notarization, and in-person cure requirements to absentee voting. Under the bill, an absentee ballot application would be rejected if the applicant does not include the required photo ID or notarization, though the applicant could still appear before the clerk to fix the application under existing cure procedures. The bill would take effect 60 days after passage.
Impact
HB 686 would impose additional procedural requirements on absentee ballot applicants and likely increase the documentation burden on voters, town and city clerks, and election officials. It would amend New Hampshire’s absentee voting statutes to require photo identification and notarization as conditions for receiving an absentee ballot, and it would narrow the correction process by requiring in-person appearance before a clerk to cure defects and verify domicile. The bill would affect absentee voters broadly, including voters with disabilities, voters absent from town, and others eligible to vote by absentee ballot under RSA 657.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the overall sentiment appears to be policy-driven and focused on election administration rather than publicly documented controversy. The bill’s sponsors suggest support for stronger absentee ballot verification and anti-fraud safeguards. Because no committee transcript or vote history is included, there is no direct evidence here of organized support or opposition beyond the bill’s restrictive approach to absentee voting.
Contention
The main points of contention are likely to be the added barriers to absentee voting versus the stated goal of stronger identity verification. Supporters would likely argue that requiring photo ID, notarization, and in-person curing helps protect ballot integrity and ensures only eligible voters receive absentee ballots. Opponents would likely contend that these requirements could burden eligible voters, especially elderly voters, voters with disabilities, rural voters, and those with limited access to transportation, notaries, or clerks, and could increase the risk that valid absentee applications are rejected for technical defects.