NH Journal published the following commentary by Granite State Taxpayers Chairman Jim Adams on July 2, 2013.
At a State Party meeting, Senate President Peter Bragdon stated that the State Senate controlled by Republicans would be the Firewall on new taxes and fees as well as an attempt to remove the well thought-out Voter ID law enacted 2 years ago. Wednesday’s Senate vote has left many scratching their heads, gritting their teeth and in some cases questioning the integrity and purpose of those 3 Senators that voted to reduce the existing law to a paper tiger.
This in light of the fact the last election has shown some 4,200 voters failed to return official documents to the Secretary of State’s Office as required by law. The most egregious of those 4,200 were the 1,727 that were returned as undeliverable as addressed. Those 1727 voters should be the main focus of the investigation because they gave either a fictitious address, or they were not known by the people that actually reside at the address. Those people could very well have affected the outcome of the voting in the wards and towns they voted in. One would have to believe there is a very good chance that by giving a false address, it was their intent to vote illegally. The next phase of the Voter ID Law would have affixed a picture to every affidavit signed by those without an ID. With a photo attached, there would not be 1727 mystery voters being looked for as we speak.
With the investigation just beginning with no real answers to where these people went, the Democrats wanted to throw out the Voter ID law and return to the good old days. I feel they doth protest too much. And for Senate President Bragdon and Senator Odell and Stiles to join the Democrats before the investigation has been finished is just poor stewardship of the oath they took in January. The question is, what were they thinking?
Where there is smoke usually there is fire and these 1727 mystery voters should have been enough of a red flag to at least table this until next year when the results of the investigation are in. Granite State Taxpayers is a non-partisan group that believes low spending equals low taxes. The people that voted for these two principles could have very well been cheated by these mystery voters.
In reading the NHGOP Platform, we found the following. Part four, under Law and Order, states, “Prosecute violations of election law and ensure voting is done by NH resident citizens only; to prevent voter fraud, we support the requirement to produce positive identification upon both registry and voting.” The 3 Senators should have at least abided by the wishes of the Party and people they represent. These folks could be very embarrassed if these mystery voters are found to have been fraudulent and they gutted the Law that could have prevented it in the future.
Granite State Taxpayers believe that the outcome of New Hampshire’s elections should be a result of New Hampshire voters, not mystery voters from Lord knows where, just dropping in to vote and going home to wherever they came from.
Jim Adams is Chairman of Granite State Taxpayers
The NH Journal Opinion article by Adams can be viewed by clicking here.