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Notarize absentee applications? Bill divides clerks, advocates and legal experts
Summary
A bill to require notarized absentee applications and a color copy of photo ID drew strong opposition from town clerks, disability advocates and voting rights groups, who said the requirements would deny ballots to people who can’t easily access a notary.
Representative Kelly Potenza introduced HB 608, which would require a color copy of a valid government photo ID and a notarized application in order to receive an absentee ballot. She said the measure aims to align absentee application procedures with the identification rules in place for in‑person voting and to prevent mismatches between in‑person ID verification and mail or drop‑off processes.
Legal testimony and municipal practice differed sharply. Attorney Daniel Richards and other proponents said that affidavit practices were historically stricter and that absent…
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