Judy Strakalaitis

Dear Chair Berry and House Election Law Committee Members, I'm the chair of the Supervisors of the Checklist in Derry. I oppose HB341 and urge you to vote ITL, HB341 is unnecessary. Current law already requires the Secretary of State to check the voter list against a National Change of Address list at least annually and notify the Supervisors of the Checklist in each district of discrepancies. The process identifies voters who may have moved within the district or to another town or city ward. There is no need to do so more frequently. As Supervisor of the Checklist in a town with more than 20,000 voters, I'd like to let you know investigating and resolving possible removals based on NCOA notifications requires more than 90 days. Instigating the removal process with as little as 90 days before an election does not leave Supervisors in larger districts sufficient time to investigate before removing voters. Current law treats removal based on NCOA notifications differently than all other removals: it doesn't require action or awareness by the voter. In all other removals, either voters initiate removal by registering elsewhere OR the voter is notified of pending removal and afforded 30 days to object. in the disitrict. initiate removal by notifying voters in writing that theand affording them at least 30 days to verify domicile in town. Election officials in the other district notify the Supervisors of the Checklist that the voter is now registered there. thout initiating Most voters who move out of town are removed when the initiating it themselves through direct action with an election official OR bynVoterscan be completely unaware they've been removed. It is the only time voters can be removed without notification in writing initiated by the voter through direct interaction with an election official. The lack of notice to voters in the NCOA process makes removal so close to election day especially fraught. Voters removed from the checklist are often are unaware they're no longer registered. They come to the polls with their voter ID, expecting to vote. Now, they need to register and affidavits for citizenship are no longer available. Most native-born Americans do not carry a birth certificate or a passport and they won't be able to register. I am concerned that increasing the frequency of NCOA notifications together with the short lead time in HB341 will increased frustration at the polls. I urge you to oppose HB341. The current law on NCOA notifications has been in effect for 2 calendar years; It is working well. Sincerely, Judy Strakalaitis Supervisors of the Checklist, Chair Derry