-- JUST ONE OF THE
FIGHTS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.
I AM JOSH MCELVEEN.
DESPITE CLAIMS BY THE PRESIDENT,
WE KNOW THE PEOPLE ARE NOT
COMING HERE BY THE BUSLOAD TO
VOTE ILLEGALLY.
BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT, ON
OCCASION, PEOPLE VIOLATE THE
SPIRIT OF THE LAW BY VOTING IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE WITHOUT NO -- WITH
NO REAL INTENTION OF STAYING IN
NEW HAMPSHIRE.
I AM JOINED BY SENATOR REGINA
BRETT SELF, AND SENATOR DONNA
SUSHI --
GOOD TO SEE YOU BOTH.
SENATOR BIRDSELL, TELL US WHAT
YOUR BILL WOULD DO.
>> THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION.
BUT CAN I TAKE A FEW MINUTES TO
ADDRESS -- THE SENATE LOST
SENATOR SCOTT MCELDERRY THIS
WEEK, VERY SUDDENLY.
I KNOW HE AFFECTED A LOT OF
LIVES.
HE WILL BE SORELY MISSED IN THE
SENATE.
MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE OUT
THERE FOR HIS WIFE, HIS GIRLS,
AND HIS EXTENDED FAMILY.
JOSH: NO QUESTION ABOUT IT.
GOVERNOR SUNUNU SAID IT WAS A
LOST FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE.
MOVING FORWARD, A LOT OF PEOPLE
DO NOT KNOW WHAT SB-3 DOES.
SEN. BIRDSELL: FIRST, IT DOES
NOT SUPPRESS ANY VOTE.
IT ALLOWS ANYONE TO VOTE WHO IS
ALLOWED TO VOTE.
WHAT IT DOES DO IS IT IS A TRUST
AND VERIFY TYPE OF LEGISLATION.
IT SAYS IF YOU WANT TO VOTE, AND
YOU HAVE CHECKED INTO THAT TOWN,
IT IS NOT JUST A STATE OF MIND,
IN THE HAVE AN ACT, A VERIFIABLE
ACT.
SO IF YOU CHECK OFF THE DOMICILE
FOR THAT TOWN, WE ASK THAT YOU
EITHER BRING SOME PROOF, WITH AN
ADDRESS THAT YOU ARE LIVING
THERE --
JOSH: LIKE A FISHING LICENSE,
UTILITY BILL?
SEN. BIRDSELL: DRIVER'S LICENSE,
UTILITY BILL, CELL PHONE BILL.
ANYTHING THAT SHOWS YOU HAVE THE
INTENT TO STAY THERE AND HAVE
TIES TO THE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE IT ON SAME
DAY, THEN YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO
BRING IT BACK WITHIN 10 DAYS.
THAT YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO
VOTE.
AGAIN, THERE IS NO NEED -- NO
SUPPRESSION OF THE VOTE.
JOSH: OBVIOUSLY, YOU ARE IN
OPPOSITION OF THIS BILL.
WHY?
SURE.
THERE ARE A FEW REASONS.
FIRST I WANT TO ECHO THE
COMMENTS REGINA MADE ABOUT SCOTT
MCELDERRY.
HE WAS A BE A FRIEND AND VALUED
COLLEAGUE.
I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS FRAUD
ISSUE IS A REAL ISSUE.
I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF
THEIR FASHION OTHER WAYS WE
COULD DEAL WITH THAT.
THERE IS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION
TO FUND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
OFFICE -- IF THERE REALLY IS
FRAUD, THERE ARE LAWS TO PREVENT
THAT.
WE SHOULD USE TECHNOLOGY.
E POLL BOOKS.
CENTRALIZED VOTER CHECKLIST.
THOSE WOULD IMMEDIATELY DEAL
WITH THE POTENTIAL ISSUE OF
FRAUD.
HAVING SAID THAT, REGINA HAS PUT
A LOT OF HARD WORK INTO THIS
LEGISLATION.
BUT I DO NOT AGREE THE PROBLEM
EXISTS, AND I BELIEVE THAT
VOTERS, THOUGH THE INTENT IS NOT
TO SUPPRESS THEM, I THINK THE
EFFECT OF THIS LEGISLATION, THE
LONG FORM AND THE PROVISION OF
DOCUMENTS AND ALSO THE ABILITY
FOR ELECTION OFFICIALS TO VISIT
YOUR HOME IF YOU HAVE NOT
PROVIDED DOCUMENTS AND TIMELY
FASHION, WILL DISCOURAGE VOTERS.
JOSH: BUT WHY?
INVESTIGATION WOULD BEGIN WITH
SOMEONE TO MAKE SURE YOU LIVE
THERE.
SEN. SOUCY I THINK THAT IS A
BIT INVASIVE.
WE NEED TO TAKE PEOPLE AT THEIR
WORD.
WE HAVE A PROCESS IN PLACE WHERE
PEOPLE CAN SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT AND
SIGNED UNDER PENALTY OF LAW THAT
THEY LIVE WHERE THEY SAY.
A LOT OF PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY
THOSE I REPRESENT, DO NOT LIVE
NEED, TIDY LIVES.
THEY HAVE EVERY INTENTION OF
MOVING IN WITH A SIGNIFICANT
OTHER AND STAYING THERE.
SOMETHING GOES WRONG.
COULD BE A SITUATION INVOLVING
VIOLENCE.
THEY WILL NOT LEAVE A PAPER
TRAIL OF WHERE THEY WERE.
THEY WILL LEAVE.
THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PRODUCE
DOCUMENTS FROM THAT INDIVIDUAL,
SAYING THEY LIVED THERE AT THE
TIME THEY VOTED.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A LOT
OF PUBLICATIONS FOR PEOPLE WHO
ARE WELL INTENTIONS GOING IN AND
WHO ARE EXERCISING A
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT.
JOSH AND SENATOR, YOU'RE NOT
ALONE IN SAYING THAT THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
ALREADY HAS LAWS.
SEN. BIRDSELL: A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO, WE PASSED SENATE BILL THAT
ALLOWED THE AG'S OFFICE TO BRING
IN AN INVESTIGATOR.
BUT I LISTEN TO MY CONSTITUENTS
AND TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE,
WHO DID SAY THAT EVERY ELECTION,
WE HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE CASE OF
VOTER FRAUD PROSECUTED.
SO THE INTENT OF THIS BILL IS TO
TRY TO REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF
PEOPLE COMING IN, CHECKING OFF
THE BOX, AND THEN LEAVING.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS -- THOSE WHO ARE
VOTING THERE -- HAVE A STAKE IN
THE OUTCOME OF THAT ELECTION.
IN THE LAST ELECTION, THERE WERE
OVER 6300 DOMICILE LETTERS THAT
WENT OUT TO VERIFY.
428 HAVE COME BACK
UNDELIVERABLE.
SINCE 2012, OVER 2200 HAVE COME
BACK UNDELIVERABLE.
WHAT I AM TRYING TO DO IS
TIGHTEN UP THOSE COMING BACK, SO
THAT WE CAN DO SOME LOOKING INTO
THE FACT OF VOTER FRAUD.
JOSH THE RESIDENCY ISSUE WAS
SOMETHING THAT SECRETARY -- THE
SECRETARY OF STATE WAS IN FAVOR
OF.
SOME SORT OF OFFER.
IS THIS ABOUT AS BEST A
COMPROMISE THERE COULD BE?
IF WE ARE GOING TO TIGHTEN UP
THESE LAWS?
SEN. SOUCY: I THINK I TILTS THE
SCALES TOWARDS DISSUADING SOME
VOTERS FROM EXCISING THEIR
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.
THAT CONCERNS ME.
IT ALSO PRESENTS A POTENTIAL
PROBLEM FOR PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE
DOCUMENTS.
THE FORM IS EXTREMELY LENGTHY,
VERY COMPLICATED, AND SOMEONE
READING THAT MAY SEE IT AND SAY
I DO NOT KNOW --
JOSH: WE LIVE IN THE FIRST IN
THE NATION PRIMARY STATE.
WE CHERISH IT AND ARE FORTUNATE
TO HAVE IT.
THE WORST THING WOULD BE TO
FINALLY HAVE BEEN DUPED, TO A
CERTAIN DEGREE.
IS THAT PART OF THE EQUATION?
SEN. SOUCY: I AM NOT CONCERNED
WE HAVE BEEN DUPED.
IF THERE IS FRAUD, THERE ARE
LAWS ON THE BOOKS TO DEAL WITH
THAT.
I DO NOT BELIEVE IT IS RAMPANT
AND I DO NOT BELIEVE
ACQUISITIONS OF BUSES FROM
MASSACHUSETTS, OR ANY OF THAT.
TO THE EXTENT THERE IS AN AIR
AND PERSON HERE OR THERE DOING
SOMETHING WRONG, WE CAN TAKE
CARE OF THAT RIGHT NOW WITH OUR
PRESENT SYSTEM AND FORTIFY THAT
WITH OTHER PIECES OF
LEGISLATION.
SEN. BIRDSELL: ONE OF THE THINGS
I THINK ABOUT IS YES, WE DO NOT
WANT ANYONE BEING PUSHED OUT OF
THE POLLS FOR VOTING.
BUT ALSO, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE
FACT THAT ANYONE WHO COMES IN
AND IS ILLEGALLY VOTING IS
ACTUALLY DILUTING OR TAKING THE
VOTING OF SOMEONE WHO IS LEGALLY
DOMICILED IN THAT TOWN.
FOR INSTANCE, THAT INDIVIDUAL
FROM BERNIE SANDERS' CAMPAIGN.
HE USED TO BE BERNIE SANDERS
CAMPAIGN OFFICE AS HIS DOMICILE
ADDRESS.
WHOSE VOTE DID HE DILUTE WHEN HE
WENT OUT AND VOTED?
AND NOW HE IS LONG GONE.
JOSH: WE ARE ALMOST OUT OF TIME.
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WONDERING IF
THIS WILL IMPACT COLLEGE
STUDENTS, BECAUSE HE KNOWS WHERE
THEY WILL GO AFTER GRADUATION?
SEN. BIRDSELL: ABSOLUTELY NOT
PAY THERE IS A PROVISION THAT IF
THEY CAN SHOW PROOF THAT THEY
ARE LIVING IN A DORM, THEY ARE
ABLE TO VOTE.
IF THEY GET A CELL PHONE BILL,
SAME THING.
, IN, VOTE SAME DAY -- COME IN,
VOTE SAME DAY.
JOSH: THIS IS PART OF A NATIONAL
RHETORIC STARTED BY THE
PRESIDENT TO CHANGE THE WAY
VOTING LAWS HAVE BEEN DISCUSSED.
DO YOU BELIEVE THE CURRENT LAW
CAN BE IMPROVED?
SEN. SOUCY I DO NOT KNOW THERE
IS MUCH WE SHOULD DO OTHER THAN
INCREASE RESOURCES FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
BUT I ALSO THINK THE BETTER USE
OF TECHNOLOGY WOULD MAKE A
DIFFERENCE UPFRONT AND WOULD
ALSO HELP THE PROCESS FOR VOTERS
WHO ARE ALREADY REGISTERED TO
GET IN AND OUT MORE QUICKLY AND
ADVANCE THE PROCESS.
I DO NOT CAST DISPERSIONS ONWARD
GINA AND I DO NOT PRETEND SHE
HAS ANY OTHER PARTICULAR MOTIVE
OTHER THAN TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT.
I DISAGREE WITH HER SOLUTION.
BUT WHETHER THERE IS SOME GRAND
SCHEME HERE, I --
JOSH: WE WILL END WITH THAT.
HAVE YOU GONE PRESSURE FROM
OUTSIDE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE FROM
NATIONAL PARTIES TO PUSH THIS
LEGISLATION?
SEN. BIRDSELL: ABSOLUTELY NOT.
THIS HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING
SINCE I WAS A STATE REP, GOING
DOOR-TO-DOOR, LISTENING TO
CONSTITUENTS.
JOSH: AND THE VOTE IS COMING
THIS COMING THURSDAY.
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