New Hampshire Citizenship Requirement Challenge (Coalition for Open Democracy)

Lawsuit filed by Coalition for Open Democracy, League of Women Voters of New Hampshire, The Forward Foundation and five voters against New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan (R) and New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella (R) challenging New Hampshire’s recently enacted voter suppression law, House Bill 1569. The challenged law, which will take effect after the 2024 general election, requires voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship — e.g. a birth certificate, passport or naturalization papers — in order to register to vote or cast a ballot. The bill also removes the “Qualified Voter Affidavit” — an option for voters who are challenged at the polls to cast a ballot by signing an affidavit stating they are legally allowed to vote. The plaintiffs argue the removal of this affidavit option could leave many voters unable to vote, particularly those taking advantage of the state’s same-day voter registration who do not bring adequate proof of citizenship documents. The plaintiffs argue H.B. 1569 unfairly creates new barriers to the right to vote in violation of the First and 14th Amendments of the U.S. Constitution, and ask the court to temporarily and permanently ban the enforcement of the law.

STATUS: The plaintiffs filed their complaint on Sept. 30, 2024. The state defendants have not responded yet.

Last updated: September 30, 2024 1:33 pm EST