Students from Dartmouth College, Keene State College, Plymouth State University and the University of New Hampshire have joined forces to fight a bill they say threatens their right to vote.
The bill requires that “the domicile for voting purposes” of a college student be the state or the New Hampshire city or town in which the student resided “immediately prior to matriculation.” The bill also applies to military personnel and federal employees on assignment in the state. Proponents of the bill say it would reduce voter fraud, ensuring that a person can only claim residency in one location to “protect the integrity of the ballot process.”
Dartmouth freshman Joshua Schiefelbein, president of the Dartmouth College Libertarians, said this has become a “tri-partisan” affair.
“Not only are the Republicans and Democrats coming together, but the Libertarians,” he said. “All three of our groups are able to get together on an issue that’s really crystal clear and be just completely tri-partisan in our efforts. That’s really impressive considering the politically charged climate that we’ve had for the past few years. It’s just really nice to see. It kind of gives a glimmer of hope for a possible future [of cooperation].”
Speaker of the House, William O’Brien, R-Mont Vernon, said in January that students “don’t have life experience,” “just vote their feelings,” and “are basically doing what I did when I was a kid and foolish, voting as a liberal.”
