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Subcommittee hears that absentee signature-matching rule was blocked; officials debate alternatives
Summary
Witnesses told the Election Law Subcommittee on Feb. 21 that a federal court enjoined signature-matching as a basis to reject absentee ballots, leaving a verification gap the panel discussed closing with options such as notaries or other identity checks while balancing access for voters with disabilities.
At its Feb. 21 session, the Election Law Subcommittee considered how New Hampshire currently verifies absentee ballots and why the state cannot rely on signature comparison as a routine check.
Secretary Scanlon described how absentee voting has historically depended on matching the signature on an absentee application with the signature on the affidavit (inner) envelope that returns the ballot. She summarized the legal change that followed litigation: "I don't believe that there's a requirement at the moment that requires a person to send a copy of a driver's license or something like that with a request for an…
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