People who want to vote in this year’s municipal elections in Keene and in other cities across the state could face some new rules.
Keene’s municipal primary, including for mayor and city councilors, is on Oct. 7 and the general election will be on Nov. 4. The candidate filing period is now underway.
Those wishing to register to vote must be able to prove their identity, age, where they live and their citizenship.
Last year, then-Gov. Chris Sununu signed House Bill 1569, which went into effect on Nov. 11, 2024, and changed voter registration procedures.
That bill ended a previous system in which voters were allowed to sign an affidavit attesting to their qualifications to register. Now they will have to produce documentation, including a birth certificate or U.S. passport to prove their citizenship if they are registering for the first time in the state.
HB 1569 is being challenged in U.S. District Court in Concord. Opponents of the law say it is unconstitutional, unjustified, burdensome and prevents certain qualified voters from casting ballots.
Backers say that even though voter fraud cases aren’t frequent, they do happen and that the new requirements provide a needed tightening of procedures.
Also new this year are some revised absentee voting procedures required under Senate Bill 287, which Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed on Aug. 1.
It goes into effect Sept. 30 and will require that people present a copy of their photo identification when applying for an absentee ballot. If applying through the mail, they will need to provide a copy of their ID or have the application notarized.
That is also being challenged in court.
A lawsuit filed in Rockingham Superior Court on Aug. 19 said the new requirements are burdensome and threaten to suppress participation among voters who rely most on mail-voting access.
Supporters of SB 287 said it simply brings absentee voting in line with in-person voting in terms of proving one’s identification before casting a ballot.
Terri Hood, city clerk in Keene, said that many people who vote in the Oct. 7 primary are likely to request absentee ballots before the new requirements of SB 287 go into effect on Sept. 30.
Anna Sventek, the communications director in the N.H. Secretary of State’s office, said Monday that those who request an absentee ballot before Sept. 30 won’t be subject to the requirements of the bill.
Absentee voting is available to those who plan to be absent on the day of the election, can’t vote in person because of a religious commitment, are in jail on a misdemeanor or awaiting a trial, have a disability or an employment or family-care obligation.
Rick Green can be reached at 603-352-1234, extension 1435, or rgreen@keenesentinel.com.
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