| Online: | |
| Visits: | |
| Stories: |
| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
How long should you live in NH to vote? (498 responses; 4/11/15)
By Jacquelyn Benson
Thinking of moving? A bill recently passed by the NH Senate (SB 179) would require adults to establish residency in the state for at least thirty days before being eligible to vote. On April 11, the Live Free or Die Alliance (LFDA) put the issue to its 57,000+ Facebook members, asking “Should voters have to live in NH at least 30 days before voting?”
The answer was a solid “yes”, with 80% of those directly responding to the question expressing support for at least a 30-day residency requirement. Only 20% were opposed to the move. An additional 24% of total respondents opted not to give a yes or no response, instead addressing their comments to broader issues. In sum, the LFDA received 153 specific comments and 345 concurrences for a total of 498 citizen responses
Those in favor of the bill argued that it would help to reduce voter fraud, with many calling for even longer residency requirements, such as six months or a year. “Permanent residents only! College kids and other visitors should have to vote absentee ballots in their home state, not cancel out my vote,” one commenter argued. “NH is known for the ease of 'drive by' voting and it makes a mockery of the election process in our state. 30 days isn't even enough but tied with the requirement to prove residency then I think it's a fair compromise,” another poster said.
Opponents of the bill expressed concern that it would disenfranchise legitimate voters. “We cannot afford to lose even more ground regarding our voting rights, these are our inalienable rights,” one commenter said. “This would mean that NH would be denying people moving into the state their constitutional right to vote,” another respondent wrote.
Those opting not to give a yes or no response instead discussed broader issues, such as the legitimacy of claims of voter fraud in NH and whether college students should be required to vote in their home state.
The nonprofit, nonpartisan LFDA takes no position on this or any issue, as this report is presented as a summary of citizen testimony. As New Hampshire’s Virtual Town Hall, the LFDA community, numbering more than 60,000, provides objective information on state issues, promotes the civil exchange of opinions, and communicates views to elected officials. To learn more about this issue or the LFDA, visit www.lfda.org.
Jacquelyn Benson is an Editor with the Live Free or Die Alliance.
Live Free or Die Alliance
www.livefreeordiealliance.org
Source: http://townhall.livefreeordiealliance.org/xn/detail/4091641:BlogPost:71376
