[ad_1]
"I ask each presidential candidate to stand up for these students, condemning these tactics and protecting the integrity of New Hampshire's electoral process by signing a petition publicly denouncing this law on the suppression of voters," wrote in a letter Senator Senator of the State she intends to send to the 18 candidates declared Monday morning.
Currently, New Hampshire does not require registered voters to prove their residence, but only their "home".
But the new law, the 1264 House Bill, which comes into effect in July, imposes the same legal requirements on "domiciled" residents. Those living outside the New Hampshire Kingdom, such as university students, will be required to pay a fee to obtain a New Hampshire driver's license and register their vehicles within 60 days of their established residency or after voting. The Granite State also allows voter registration the same day.
In his letter, which CNN had obtained before publication, Shaheen says the law effectively creates a "voting tax" for students.
"They are deprived of the right to vote by photo ID requirements, arbitrary residency challenges, and allegations of baseless fraud," Shaheen writes.
President Donald Trump has stated, without any evidence, that thousands of people voted in Massachusetts to illegally travel to New Hampshire, where he narrowly lost his first grade in 2016.
New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner refuted the allegation of the President, stating in the Boston Globe: "We have never received evidence that buses would show up at vote".
CNN will hold parallel public meetings on Monday night with five New Democrat 2020 candidates in New Hampshire. Meaning. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Kamala Harris of California, as well as South Bend of Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg will be present from 7 pm. AND.
The presidential candidates will directly answer questions from New Hampshire students and young democrats on issues of importance to young voters.
Shaheen's proposal for the 2020 Democrats to reject the bill comes as candidates demand that the state prepare for its anticipated presidential primary – a key element to boost their campaigns.
"As the eyes of the country are turned to our first primary, we have the opportunity to send a clear message to anyone seeking to undermine the right to vote," Shaheen wrote in his letter. "I hope you will join me in defending the franchise of all Americans."
The chairman of the Democratic Party of the State has called each presidential candidate to sign this pledge.
"Every presidential candidate from New Hampshire should sign the promise of Senator Shaheen and pledge to protect the right to vote for everyone in the Granite State, especially young people threatened by a new law on the removal of voters that must be sentenced and set aside, "said New Hampshire Democratic Party Speaker Ray Buckley in a statement provided to CNN.
When HB 1264 was passed last year in the state legislature, the state Supreme Court ruled in a 3-2 decision that the bill was constitutional and put "the voters and residents on an equal footing with the citizens of New Hampshire, "according to the Concord Monitor.
After first being questioned about the constitutionality of the bill, Republican Governor Chris Sununu signed the measure last July, as a result of the court's ruling.
"Bill 1264 restores equality and fairness in our elections," Sununu said in a statement, adding, "Finally, anyone who votes in New Hampshire will be treated the same. It's the very essence of equal voting rights. "
But Democrats in New Hampshire, after taking control of the State House and Senate in mid-session in 2018, sought to cancel HB 1264. The law also faces a legal challenge.
The American Civil Liberties Union, on behalf of two Dartmouth University students, sued the state attorney general and the secretary of state in February, arguing that the law was unconstitutional.
"Make no mistake: it's a deterrent to young people participating in our elections," said Maggie Flaherty, a sophomore in Dartmouth, Calif., Who is a plaintiff in the lawsuit. the website of the ACLU. "For me, the importance of voting in New Hampshire depends on two factors: the fact that I now spend more time here than anywhere else and that national and local policies can affect everything from my access to care. from health to the quality of the air I breathe. "
Cassie Spodak from CNN contributed to this report.
[ad_2]
Source link
