Carl Pope said that college students here complain that some local election clerks try to discourage them from registering to vote
Students said to be dissuaded from registering
By KEVIN LANDRIGAN, Telegraph Staff
landrigank@telegraph-nh.com
Published: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2004
CONCORD - The national head of the Sierra Club said Tuesday that college students here complain that some local election clerks try to discourage them from registering to vote.
“I was quite surprised. There is a perception that an attempt is being made in some localities to discourage people from voting and intimidate students,’’ Executive Director Carl Pope told reporters Tuesday.
State prosecutors said they have responded to calls to investigate and failed to find any local election official breaking the law.
“We have yet to find a circumstance, we have yet to find a single official violating that process,’’ said Assistant Attorney General Bud Fitch.
“I’m not saying that hasn’t ever happened.’’
Pope said he has not found anyone who was unable to register, but there remains a lot of confusion about what students have to bring to sign up.
“The people (election officials) should be able to make sure anyone who votes is eligible and that they only vote in one place,’’ he said.
Secretary of State Bill Gardner said New Hampshire makes an extra effort to allow people to show up and vote with minimal identification.
“We hope and advocate everybody acts responsibly. The vote is the crown jewel. It is a precious right, and we want to make sure it is not abused by either side,’’ he said.
Anyone can register to vote on Election Day, on Tuesday, as long as they are at least 18, a U.S. citizen and can claim residence where they are voting.
Fitch urged them to bring a government-issued, photo identification card.
Those who have a New Hampshire driver’s license showing their residency can sign up without any additional step, he said.
Anyone with an out-of-state license or other identification will be asked to sign a domicile affidavit to assert that they reside where they are voting, he said.
Once the affidavit is signed, the person can vote and the ballot is placed into the box and can’t be specifically identified, Fitch said.
A designated observer at the polls may challenge someone’s right to cast a ballot by signing a form.
Fitch said the moderator will decide if the challenge is proper and may require the voter to sign another statement that they are eligible to cast a ballot.
A competing motor vehicle law requires anyone registering to vote here to get an in-state driver’s license and register his or her car in New Hampshire within 60 days.
Democratic Party officials said this is not a prerequisite to voting here.
“When you register to vote, they may say you need to change your driver’s license and car registration within 60 days,’’ according to the New Hampshire Democratic Party’s Web site on student voting.
“However, claiming domicile for voting is not the same as being a resident for motor vehicle purposes. If you claim a residence in another state for any other reason, these motor vehicle laws don’t apply.’’
Fitch said this remains an unsettled matter of legal interpretation, but he urged students to vote Tuesday and deal with any motor vehicle issues later.
“It is not something that should prevent some people from voting,’’ he said.
Kevin Landrigan can be reached at 224-8804 or landrigank@telegraph-nh.com.
