House Republicans Block Commonsense Absentee Voting Reform
April 13, 2022
Contact Name: Marina Altschiller
Phone: (603) 271-3375
CONCORD – Today, in a party-line vote, Republican members of the House Election Law Committee voted ITL on SB 427. As amended by the Senate, SB 427 makes small changes to the absentee voting process to permit absentee voting due to illness or other medical conditions.
After the vote, prime sponsor Senate Democratic Leader Donna Soucy (D-Manchester) issued the following statement:
“SB 427 passed through the Senate with bipartisan support on a voice vote. The amended language was the result of collaborative work across the aisle to improve and clarify our absentee voting process. This change was critical for ensuring voter integrity and was supported by disability rights advocates who accurately pointed out that a voter needing to claim a disability on their request for an absentee ballot when the reason for voting absentee was not a disability was dishonest and unfair to honest and truthful voters. Today’s vote by House Republicans was nonsensical and further goes to prove their determination to block any kind of legislation that might increase election accessibility.”