Dear Gov. Sununu and Secretary of State Gardner: Please take seriously our right to vote. It’s not enough just to give it lip service. Most of us grew up in this great democracy believing that voting was free and fair.
We have seen dark money give certain “special” people an amplified voice. We’ve seen voter suppression give people of color – and in New Hampshire, college students – less influence than they deserve. Partisan gerrymandering has tampered with the fairness of “equal representation.”
Because of the health risks of COVID-19, we are now at an electoral crossroads. Will our state leaders make it even harder for many people to cast their votes? Will you force us to risk our very lives as the price of exercising our right to vote? Or , instead, will you help enable all Granite Staters to participate in this year’s elections safely?
■Will you implement easy voter registration (online or by mail)?
■Will you give voters absentee ballots (postage prepaid) without requiring them to state a particular reason – at least during this year’s COVID-19 pandemic?
■Will you make it easy and non-burdensome for voters to switch their party registration?
■Will you follow CDC guidelines to make polling places clean and safe?
■The extra costs of voting under COVID-19 should not be downshifted to municipalities.
We should be making it easy, understandable and safe for anyone who wants to vote. Please, Governor and Mr. Secretary: Choose democracy. We the people will appreciate it.
KEN BARNES
Contoocook