Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2022
CONTACT: press@securedemocracyusa.org
NH Veterans & Election Officials
Make it Clear: Sununu Must Veto
'Provisional Ballot' Bill
Month of action showcases massive statewide opposition to SB 418
Concord, N.H. — The New Hampshire legislature gave final approval to SB 418, a bill to establish a flawed system of "provisional ballots," nearly one month ago on May 12. If enacted, those "provisional ballots" would unnecessarily complicate New Hampshire elections, lead to vote totals and winners changing a week after Election Day, and even violate the federal law that guarantees overseas military voters enough time to receive and return their ballots.
Since its passage by the legislature, the bill has received overwhelming opposition from veterans and local election officials as it awaits a final signature or veto from Governor Chris Sununu.
"Veterans and local election officials know the importance of fair and free elections better than anyone," said Diego Echeverri, a U.S. Army veteran and director of advocacy for the nonpartisan voter access group Secure Democracy USA. "To veto a bill that unnecessarily complicates New Hampshire elections and threatens the votes of servicemembers overseas should be a no-brainer for Gov. Sununu."
Here's a look at the action and coverage – led by veterans and election officials urging Gov. Sununu to veto SB 418.
Letters to the Governor
10 Retired Flag Officers and Former Service Branch Secretaries Sign Letter to Urge Governor to Veto SB 418
SB-418 as currently written establishes a complicated process that may restrict voting access guaranteed to our military service members by federal law and make it impossible for local election officials to certify the primary election and send general election ballots to active duty military voters in time to comply with the 45 day requirement mandated by [The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act].
26 Town & City Clerks Sign Letter to Urge Governor Veto SB 418
SB 418 endangers a longstanding process that has worked in our state for years, establishing a new system of "provisional ballots" that could see vote totals and winners changed days after an election occurs. Under SB 418, provisional ballots could be cast and counted only to be rejected and subtracted from the results a week after Election Day. New Hampshire voters deserve firm and accurate results on election night.
Op-Eds & Letters to the Editor
Union Leader Opinion: Protect voting rights of NH armed forces
As the bill is currently written, it would be nearly impossible for New Hampshire’s local election officials to mail ballots to active duty military voters for future general elections in line with federal requirements…. With just a few months before the next election, now is not the time to make our local election officials’ job more difficult, as they already face many unneeded threats and complications to run our elections.
- Diego Echeverri, a U.S. Army veteran who served in Afghanistan and director of advocacy for Secure Democracy USA.
Keene Sentinel Opinion: Sununu should veto Senate Bill 418 for sake of our military
SB 418 is also likely to violate federal law that protects military voters. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act, a federal law that determines processes for members of the military to cast their ballot, requires ballots to be mailed to military voters 45 days before a federal election. That means that local election officials are required to mail general election ballots to military members only a few days after, and possibly even before, primary election results are certified under SB 418. This creates an impossible task for local election officials and may ultimately restrict our armed service members from casting their ballots.
- Ed Friedrich, a former U.S. Marine Corps first lieutenant who served during the Vietnam War. He lives in Loudon.
Union Leader Letter: Sununu must veto SB 418
If Sununu approves SB 418 he will be sending a very mixed message to constituents. He will also be stating loud and clear that even though he believes in the integrity of our elections, he is willing to interfere with the freedom of New Hampshire citizens to vote. This bill will eliminate voter privacy for some voters and will directly limit the opportunity for members of the military and their families stationed overseas to cast their ballot. This is just plain wrong.
- Karin Pauletti from Derry
Concord Monitor Letter: Sununu must veto SB 418
It’s the latest in costly, anti-voter legislation that needlessly complicates things for voters, with major unwanted side effects for NH. We should all be concerned by any proposal to increase barriers to voting. SB 418 targets active duty military voters voting absentee from overseas. It will also place an expensive, unnecessary burden on NH taxpayers, and it directly threatens our First-In-The-Nation primary by convoluting our election process and slowing results.
- Ben Kremer from Newmarket
Press Coverage
New Hampshire Bulletin: As Sununu indicates support, legal questions around ‘provisional ballot’ bill persist
“SB 418 is a solution in search of a problem,” said Henry Klementowicz, senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire. “We know that New Hampshire has safe and secure and reliable elections. And yet, SB 418 seeks to throw up unnecessary burdens and roadblocks for voters and we’re concerned about the legality of that.”
InDepthNH: Coalition Asks Sununu To Veto ‘Provisional Ballot’ Legislation
A coalition of opponents of the so-called “provisional ballot” bill held a press conference on Monday urging the governor to veto the legislation…. [U.S. Marine Corps veteran Ed Friedrich] said his grandson, [an active duty member of the U.S. Navy] from Weare, is already under a tight deadline for voting and this would create an even harder timeline. He said he would not forgive himself if he did nothing to oppose this legislation and called on the governor to intervene.
For more information on SB 418 and the threat it poses to New Hampshire elections, please contact press@securedemocracyusa.org. To read this release online, click here.
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Secure Democracy USA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that works to build confidence in our elections and improve voter access across the United States. We educate policymakers and the public about what it takes to safeguard our voting systems. We use sophisticated survey and messaging research to inform our strategy and we collaborate with state leaders, election administrators, policy experts, and allies to ensure that all eligible citizens have the freedom to vote how they choose.