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Voter residency requirement?

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On Wednesday, March 9 the House will vote on a bill that would require a voter to live in New Hampshire at least ten days before voting.

The bill, HB 1313, also tightens the definition of "domicile" to allow consideration of several factors, such as whether or not a voter has a New Hampshire driver's license.

Bill supporters want to stop the practice of "drive-by" voting, in which campaign workers from out-of-state declare New Hampshire as their domicile for a short time, then leave after the election.

Speaking in favor of the bill, Rep. William Gannon wrote, "Currently, it has been shown that there are numerous examples of out-of-state voter fraud that dilute the NH vote and are causing a loss of faith in the very integrity of the NH voting process itself."

Opponents argue that the bill could unfairly disenfranchise college students and other voters.

Rep. Wayne Moynihan wrote on behalf of those opposing the bill. "The NH Constitution establishes that a citizen may vote wherever he or she is 'domiciled,'" said Moynihan. "This bill seeks to require a citizen to prove their 'residency' before being able to exercise their right to vote. As with bills in the past, this bill seeks to conflate the meaning of these two words so as to limit the fundamental right to vote."

In 2015 Gov. Maggie Hassan vetoed a bill that would have a 30-day residency requirement for voters. 

Do you support a 10-day residency requirement for voters? Share your opinion in the comments.

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