Policy Research Shop 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. 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 The contents of this report were developed under grant P116B 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 government- issued 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 low- income 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 (total NH-DMV ID holders over age 18, Oct. 2011) - 3% (proportion of non-citizen residents in NH) 982,454 (eligible voters with NH-DMV IDs) ÷1,011,125 (total eligible voters in NH, 2010) 97% (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