Episode 32767: Open Demcracy Minute for June 7, 2021

You're listening to the Open Democracy Minute, keeping Granite State government by and for the people. We told you last week about the remaining Democracy bills before the full NH House last Thursday. There's some good news and some bad news. We're glad that SB 46 passed, a bill which allows towns to use electronic check in when you vote, after years of opposition from the technology-averse NH Secretary of State's office. This will reduce wait times and save election officials a lot labor. SB 31 passed, but not with the originally proposal of “medical conditions” as an excuse for requesting an absentee ballot. Because, evidently, no one ever gets sick in NH. SB 83 also passed, but not with the advance of a secure electronic portal to submit documents to register to vote. Because the citizens of NH can't be trusted to submit documents or make address changes using their computers, like say, mortgages, or the U.S. Postal Service And SB 89 passed, despite the last-minute amendment which keeps NH from following federal election protection rules being proposed by the H.R. 1 / S. 1 For the People Act. Perhaps because the NH legislature has 15 anti-voter bills held back in committee, waiting for a moment when you're not looking to pass them. As Granny D said, “Democracy is not something we HAVE, it's something we DO.” For the Open Democracy Minute, I'm Brian Beihl.