030 Opinion – Letters – Ackerson – Absentee Ballot

Our United States Constitution reminds us that we have a right to vote, and as such, all barriers must be removed. Our New Hampshire Constitution tells us in Part 1, Article 11, that we must have accessible voter registration.

As a resident of Franklin, I am very aware of the number of elderly people in our community and our state who are faced with a complex system for requesting an absentee ballot during our COVID-19 crisis. If you are a senior or at high risk of serious illness, you may not be able to download an absentee ballot application, fill it out, sign it, and mail it by yourself. We need to make it easier, not harder, for our citizens to vote.

I call upon all representatives to remove all barriers by working with the recommendations of the Select Committee on 2020 Emergency Election Support. You may have the report of this bi-partisan committee by the time you read this message.

To residents, if you know someone who may face barriers in exercising their right to vote, please check in with them and guide them to the right forms and information. If you are unsure how to proceed, I urge you to speak with your town/city clerk, visit Open Democracy Action at OpenDemocracyAction.org/absentee or the Secretary of State’s office at SOS.NH.gov for up-to-date information.