Transcript Policy Research Shop Voter Identification Reform in New Hampshire An Analysis of the Options and Impacts of Reforming Voter ID Requirements Stephen Prager Manav Raj Joseph Singh Support.

Policy Research Shop
Voter Identification Reform in
New Hampshire
An Analysis of the Options and Impacts of Reforming Voter ID
Requirements
Stephen Prager
Manav Raj
Joseph Singh
Support for the Policy Research Shop is provided by the Ford Foundation and by the Fund for
the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education.
The contents of this report were developed under grant P116B100070 from the U.S. Department of
Education. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of
Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.
Policy Research Shop
Context
• Question: How many voters in NH have governmentissued photo ID?
– What are options for reducing the potential for
voter fraud and what might be the costs and
benefits?
– To what extent does voter fraud occur?
• Options
– Reform Voter Registration
– Reform Voter ID Laws
Policy Research Shop
Data
• The Literature (Nationwide)
– Roughly 11-12% have no photo ID
• Higher for African-Americans, the elderly, and lowincome citizens
• 7% lack documentation needed to obtain ID
Policy Research Shop
Data (Cont.)
• Difficult to obtain concrete data in NH
• Estimating extent of NH-DMV ID holdings
1,012,839
- 3%
982,454
÷1,011,125
97%
(total NH-DMV ID holders over age 18, Oct. 2011)
(proportion of non-citizen residents in NH)
(eligible voters with NH-DMV IDs)
(total eligible voters in NH, 2010)
(proportion of eligible voters with NH-DMV ID)
• 767,383 registered voters in NH
Policy Research Shop
Voting Requirements in NH
• Registration:
– Show Proof of Age, Citizenship, and Domicile
– Can sign an affidavit instead in most towns/cities
– Absentee registration an option (no ID required)
• Voting
– No ID required
– Can request an absentee ballot (no ID required)
Policy Research Shop
Voter Fraud
• Dearth of research/investigations
• Department of Justice study found minimal
evidence
– Simcox’s Response
• Difficult to Track
• The extent has not been studied in NH
Policy Research Shop
Changing Voter Registration
• Options for Changing Registration
– Remove Registration-by-Mail
– Remove Same-Day-Registration
– Eliminate Affidavits
Policy Research Shop
What Other States Do
Accepted Forms of ID
Include:
•Driver’s Licenses
•Passports
•Concealed Handgun
Licenses
•Tribal IDs
•Naturalization
Documents
•Student IDs from
State Institutions
•Military IDs
•Other State and
Federal Government
IDs
Policy Research Shop
Changing Voter ID Alternatives
• Options
– Strict Government-Issued Photo ID Requirement
– Non-Government-Issued Photo ID Allowed
– Photo or Non-Photo ID Requirement
– Maintain the Status Quo
Policy Research Shop
Conclusion
• Reducing Potential Fraud vs. Ensuring
Accessibility
• Uncertainties in this study:
– Extent of voter fraud
– Number of individuals with photo ID and ability to
procure IDs
– Effect of each reform on NH population