Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed a new voter ID and proof of citizenship law aimed at strengthening election security, but the law won’t take effect until after the 2024 general election. The bill, passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature, is set to begin six days after Election Day.
Under the new law, voters will be required to show a valid photo ID and provide proof of U.S. citizenship when registering. If voters cannot produce an ID at the polls, election officials will verify their eligibility before allowing them to cast a ballot. Currently, voters in New Hampshire can sign an affidavit at the polls if they don’t have ID, but the new law will tighten those rules.
Hans von Spakovsky, an expert from the Heritage Foundation, supported the law, saying it was “needed” due to New Hampshire’s same-day voter registration policy. He admitted, however, that it would have been difficult to implement the law in time for the 2024 election, given its late passage.
Despite praise from conservatives, the bill has been met with opposition from Democrats and groups like the ACLU, who claim it will disenfranchise voters without easy access to documentation. Sununu dismissed these concerns as exaggerated, noting that people routinely need identification for various aspects of daily life and that the law is necessary for future election integrity.
Although the bill won’t apply to the 2024 election, it is expected to play a key role in tightening voter registration and identification rules in future election cycles.
