Citizen in a RepublicNH House Testimony

HB1277

House · 2026 sessionBipartisanDied in House

ID number on absentee ballots

AI-generated

Amends the absentee ballot application form to require applicants to write their New Hampshire driver's license number or nondriver's identification number on the application.

relative to proof of identification on absentee ballot applications.Official record

Elections

Division of testimonyComputed by this site

316 submissions
Neutral 0

All 62 written submissions were individually written — no organized campaign detected.

Status

Committee recommended Inexpedient to Legislate; died at adjournment · March 4, 2026
  1. Introduced
  2. House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law
Sponsors, hearings & roll-call votes

Argument digest

AI-generatedfrom 62 of 62 written submissions

HB1277 would let absentee-ballot applicants use their NH driver's license or non-driver ID number to verify their identity instead of getting the application notarized or submitting a photocopy of an ID. Most submissions support the change as a way to remove notarization/copying hurdles for seniors, people with disabilities, and other voters while keeping elections secure, while a smaller group opposes it, arguing added ID requirements would burden voters who lack an NH-issued ID without addressing any documented fraud problem.

Generated by claude-sonnet-5 (claude code agent) on Jul 22, 2026. Quotes are verbatim excerpts, verified against the cited submission before publication. Summaries are AI interpretation of the record, not part of it.

The record · every submission as filed

316 submissions
Expand
Denise Clark
for Myself
Milford

As a native NH senior citizen who is also a full-time caregiver for my husband who requires round-the-clock supervision, voting absentee is often my only way to vote. The current restrictions for absentee voting are onerous for me. To be able to provide my drivers' license number for an absentee ballot application would alleviate the burdensome restrictions now in place and allow me to exercise my constitutional right.

Support
CARA CABRAL
for Myself
MADBURY

I oppose this bill because added identification requirements for absentee ballots will disproportionately impact seniors, people with disabilities, rural residents, and low-income voters. In a state with minimal public transportation, requiring additional in-person or documentation steps risks reducing access to the ballot for those already facing barriers.

Oppose
C Porter
for Myself
Fitzwilliam

Yes, this makes sense.

Support
Glendowlyn Howard
for Myself
Durham

Please support this important bill so that we can be more efficient.

Support
Ann Rettew
for Myself
Concord

A driver's license is adequate ID. We need to reduce unnecessary hurdles to voting.

Support
BETH PAVLICH
for Myself
Hinsdale

This bill will remove extra cost to the voter which is equivalent to a pole tax which is not giving equal access to voting for everyone.

Support
Morgan Ventrice
for Myself
Manchester

I strongly support this proposal because it removes unnecessary barriers to voting while maintaining election security as all the documentation required is presented to the DMV in order to obtain an ID. Requiring voters to obtain a notarized document or submit copy of their ID creates real and unequal obstacles. Not everyone has easy access to a notary, a printer, a scanner, or reliable transportation. These requirements disproportionately impact working people, rural voters, people with disabilities, seniors, and voters with limited income. Voting should not depend on a person's access to extra servicers or paperwork. Allowing voters to provide their divers license number is a secure an practical alternative. The state already uses Drivers ID numbers to verify voter identity in other parts of the election process. This approach protects the integrity of elections while making the absentee ballot application process simpler and more accessible. This change does not weaken election security, it modernizes it. It reduces administrative burden, lowers the risk of application errors or delays, and ensures that eligible voters are not discouraged from participating in our democracy due to unnecessary procedural hurdles. Our election system should be both secure and accessible. This proposal achieves both, and for that reason, I urge support.

Support
Marcus Christian Hansen
for Myself
Alstead

Poor people need to have good and sufficient food.

Support
Marie Nardino
for Myself
Andover

Libraries should be controlled by the people and not by the government--to preserve critical thinking and avoid authoritarianism.

Support
Christine Pellerin
for Myself
Stoddard

This bill removes unnecessary barriers to voting

Support
Katie Fairchild
for Myself
Allenstown

HB 1277 is a simple, secure update that allows voters to use their driver’s license number instead of notarized paperwork. It protects election integrity while making voting more accessible. Not passing this bill would be to continue discrimantory practices against disavled and elderly populations. NH will be watching how our "represntatives" vote.

Support
Rosalie Smith Wyman
for Myself
Hanover

It is important that all eligible age voters know the options available to them to cast their vote in a timely manner both at the local, State and Federal levels. New Hampshire welcomes new residents every year and it is important to make sure they have access to current information on how to register to vote, who is eligible to vote and their voting submission options. Thank you

Support
Rachel Legard
for Myself
Lee

A license number should be adequate for absentee voting. Requiring a notary to be involved directly limits voting rights of disabled adults, who may need this option.

Support
Benjamin Stinson
for Myself
Concord

I support providing information on changes to voter laws, especially given the number of new laws being considered. It is outrageous to think that changes to how elections are being run would de facto disenfranchise voters because they missed new requirements etc. At the very least the government must undertake voter education efforts to offset any potential issues arising from the changing laws.

Support
Katy Donovan
for Myself
Goffstown

Absentee voting is an incredibly important part of the democratic process for people in all ages and stages of life, and the current hurdles to voting absentee are unnecessary. This bill is an excellent solution that preserves security and would make it much easier for Granite Staters to make their voice heard.

Support
Mary Kae Eckert
for Myself
Hill

Please pass this bill. HB 1277 is a simple, secure update that allows voters to use their driver’s license number instead of notarized paperwork when voting by absentee ballot. It removes barriers that block citizens from voting absentee without weakening security. Please make voting more accessible for seniors, people with disabilities, working families, and voters who can’t easily leave home. Requiring individuals like this to find/pay a notary and to make extra trips to submit paperwork, are huge barriers that undermine their ability to vote. Please support HB 1277. Thank you for considering the needs of your constituents and protecting our right to vote.

Support
Beth Osgood
for Myself
Meredith

I support this bill.

Support
Karen Williamson
for Myself
Etna

I wholeheartedly support this bill.

Support
Mary Livingston
for Myself
Langdon

This is a no-brainer; providing a valid driver's license to obtain an absentee ballot is accurate and easy. Why Make it harder to vote by requiring people to jump through a series of unnecessary hoops that do not add value towards validating citizenship.

Support
Donna Tully
for Myself
Littleton

This is for the sake of all NH voters.

Support
Catharine Farkas
for Myself
Sanbornton

Shouldn't have to be a law in order for the SOS to educate the public on new election laws. But these days.... so I support strongly.

Support
Susan Moore
for Myself
Whitefield

Providing driver's license information seems like a much more reasonable action for voters to take when applying for an absentee ballot than current requirements of submitting copies of IDs or notaried documents. I urge you to support HB 1277.

Support
Karen Daniell
for Myself
Stratham

HB 1277 is a simple, secure update that allows voters to use their driver’s license number instead of notarized paperwork. It protects election integrity while making voting more accessible.

Support
Jane Shapiro
for Myself
KEene

This bill allows voters to provide their driver’s license number when applying for an absentee ballot instead of getting a document notarized or submitting a copy of their ID. It's a common-sense fix: right now, voters who want to vote absentee face unnecessary hurdles—finding a notary, paying a fee, struggling with a copy machine, or making extra trips just to submit paperwork. HB 1277 removes those barriers without weakening security.

Support
Sarah Joy Guerriero
for Myself
Chesterfield

I support HB 1277

Support