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Federal judge says New Hampshire must make it easier to prove citizenship when registering to vote
The ruling restores a sworn affidavit option for new registrants after evidence showed only one noncitizen prosecution in 26 years.
- On Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge Samantha Elliott struck down New Hampshire's 2024 law requiring first-time voters to present proof of U.S. citizenship, immediately restoring use of the 'Qualified Voter Affidavit'.
- Plaintiffs, including the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire, challenged House Bill 1569, which former Governor Chris Sununu signed two years ago, arguing it created unnecessary burdens for eligible voters lacking citizenship documents.
- Data presented at trial showed more than 10,000 first-time voters used affidavits in 2024, while experts testified nearly 40% of people lack U.S. passports and only one person has been prosecuted for non-citizen voting in the past 26 years.
- Secretary of State David Scanlan said the state will revert to previous registration processes, allowing affidavit use, though the New Hampshire Department of Justice plans to appeal the ruling.
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Judge says New Hampshire must loosen proof-of-citizenship rules for voter registration
A federal judge has said that New Hampshire must make voter registration easier by allowing applicants to attest to their U.S. citizenship if they don’t have the documents to prove it.
·Washington, United States
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Ahead of midterms, federal court strikes down NH proof-of-citizenship voter registration law
The judge ordered the state to immediately stop enforcing the new law. (Photo by Will Steinfeld/New Hampshire Bulletin)A federal judge struck down New Hampshire’s new law requiring hard-copy proof of citizenship for voter registration Thursday, finding it unconstitutional, in a move that could stop its implementation for the midterm elections. In a 98-page order, Judge Samantha Elliott held that the law imposed an excessive burden on the right t…
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Total News Sources57
Leaning Left31Leaning Right2Center19Last UpdatedBias Distribution60% Left
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources lean Left
60% Left
L 60%
C 36%
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