A federal judge repealed a New Hampshire law that stopped new voters from using sworn affidavits to verify their citizenship if official documents were unavailable. This law was nullified due to its undue burden on the right to vote, violating both the First and 14th Amendments.
Judge Samantha D. Elliott from the U.S. District Court in New Hampshire issued the decision, which overruled the 2024 law. This law had been enacted under then-Republican Governor Chris Sununu. The New Hampshire Justice Department, represented by spokesman Michael Garrity, announced plans to appeal. He called the law a “common-sense approach” to safeguarding election integrity.
Opponents, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Hampshire and the League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, challenged the law. ACLU’s deputy legal director, Henry Klementowicz, argued that New Hampshire’s elections are historically secure and the law might have wrongfully blocked thousands of eligible voters.
Concerns arose over the consistent number of wrongful voting reports before and after the law’s implementation. Judge Elliott highlighted that the reports to the state attorney general did not decline as anticipated post-law enactment.
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