Testimony Opposing HB 622-FN-L and Concerns Re: HB 372, 651, 552, 588

Re: various proposed election law changes, public hearings scheduled for Feb. 7

To Honorable Members of the House Election Law Committee

     I am a former teacher and reporter and have been involved with NH voting rights and election integrity issues since early 2008. Both branches of my family have deep roots in NH. At least 12 NH ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War.
     I oppose HB 622, allowing all votes to be cast absentee. I am not convinced current absentee voting is secure (example, ballots are not accounted for). Other states have reported significant problems with their vote by mail systems and although I want every voter to be able to VOTE, I support continuing the “need only” system NH uses now. 
     Re: HB 372, 651, 552, 588, I will let the Legislature decide if you believe they are needed. But I am DEEPLY concerned that in recent years the NH government shows it is MORE concerned about preventing the possibility a few ineligible voters will vote and making it more complicated and intimidating for those who don’t live in the same place in the same town as I have for the past 35 years., than in protecting our fundamental and inalienable right to know our votes are counted and reported accurately. 
     There also appears to be a concerted effort to keep students from voting in NH even though they are counted in the census as residents (as of April 1, 2010) of the community where they were attending school and their numbers are included in determining federal funds and voting districts. 
     With 87,5% of all votes now counted by computer, in violation of a number of election laws and our state Constitution, the state fails to protect our fundamental right to have our votes counted and reported accurately and the constitutional requirement of a publicly observed vote count (NHCONST. pt. 2, article 32) so that we KNOW the election results for our communities are true.

Did you know:

• NH does not return over voted ballots to voters in AccuVote locations for possible correction as HAVA law requires and MOST states do? There are at least TWO known fraud possibilities with over-voted ballots?
• NH law does not require reporting of over voted ballots to the state? You have to ask to see the long report of the poll tape in each precinct to know how many computer read over voted ballots invalidated at least one intended vote for one contest (voters voting for too many candidates or the computer reading folds in absentee ballots, stray marks or even tiny printing imperfections as a vote)? Many valid votes are probably not being counted and reported accurately.
• In November, that the Presidential, US Senate and Governor’s race in NH were all won by narrow margins, .34%; .14% and 1.24% respectively? (Someone should check my math.) No candidate in these contests requested a recount.
• Many voters, especially inexperienced ones, circle the ovals, or otherwise indicate their preference in ways that the computer doesn’t read but law, RSA 659:64, requires they be counted? Those votes would probably NOT be counted UNLESS there was a recount.
• If voters use their own marking devices (as all absentee voters would) the computer might not read that mark? 

     In the November election, 1.7% of all Jaffrey ballots (47) contained either over votes or were completely blank. 
     IF those were legal votes (but not counted) and IF that percentage was constant in AccuVote communities statewide, Donald Trump, Kelly Ayotte and Colin Van Ostern may have actually WON in November. Then add to that total, the number of “under votes” which were not counted by the computer but could be determined by people….
     Because NH is in violation of our constitution, the public is not allowed to participate in the oversight process and NOT ALLOWED TO KNOW if our elections are legitimate or not. That is a HUGE PROBLEM that undermines public confidence in the reported results. 
     Evidently 1.5% of all NH ballots cast did NOT include a vote for President. (The “normal” rate  is .5% of voters choosing not to vote in a presidential race.) 
     Do you care about that? Do you agree with me that we have a HUGE problem? Would anyone be willing to work with me and other concerned citizens to try and make sure that in our NEXT election, we will KNOW that election results are legitimate and reflect the will of NH voters? 
     Please let me know if you have any questions. Hope to hear from you.
Deborah Sumner