Senate Republicans Block SMART Act, Halting Election Security Advancements

Contact Name: Sara Persechino

Phone: (603) 271-3479

Email: Sara.Persechino@leg.state.nh.us

CONCORD - Today, Senate Republicans voted to sustain Governor Sununu’s veto of SB 7, also known as the SMART Act. The SMART Act would have allowed the DMV to collect information and then securely transfer that information to the election net system, thus streamlining the registration process and ensuring more accurate voter data.

After the vote, SB 7 prime sponsor Senator Melanie Levesque (D-Brookline) issued the following statement:

“During last week’s primary, New Hampshire’s election officials and poll workers went above and beyond to ensure safe, secure, and efficient elections. The SMART Act could have helped to further streamline the registration process, thus reducing lines at polling locations and helping to protect the safety of both the voters and poll workers. It is disappointing, yet not surprising, that Senate Republicans refused to support this cost saving, common sense measure to secure and modernize our election process that would have expanded access to free and fair elections.”

###