This month: Elections/Voting Rights• Legislative Watch • Education • Claremont Dems Get New Branding
" Tyranny and Authoritarianism are not limited to party. Neither is democracy. We need to look to our values." ~Timothy D. Snyder
ELECTIONS/VOTING RIGHTS
Voting Rights Under Attack
The right to vote in free and fair elections is a shared value in our democracy, is derivative from our Declaration of Independence, and enshrined in our Constitution and its amendments.
Because claims of serious voter fraud in New Hampshire were made concerning the 2016 and including other false statements repeated about 2020 presidential elections, the state has been subjected to attempts to correct this nonexistent problem.
Despite assurances from Governor Cris Sununu, following the 2020 presidential election that New Hampshire had experienced a safe accurate election, some voters in the state continue to believe differently.
A large number of New Hampshire voters continue to believe the 2020 presidential election was stolen and that Joe Biden was not legitimately elected. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has begun planting the seeds that there is substantial risk that the election would be stolen from him in 2024.
Voters should be aware that major MAGA (Make America Great Again) aligned groups, such as the Heritage Action an arm of the Republican think tank Heritage Foundation, are spending millions of dollars to enact restrictive state voting laws throughout the country.
"People have always had different opinions. Now they have different facts." ~ Ann Applebaum
LEGISLATION WATCH
Important Legislation to Watch
The New Hampshire House of Representatives voted against a bill, HB 1364, that would have prohibited anyone from harassing poll workers, exerting undue influence at polls, or tampering with electronic ballot counting devices. The vote failed 189 to 184 and is indefinitely postponed.
On March 14, the New Hampshire House passed legislation, HB 1569, which will require a birth certificate or passport for new voters registering to vote and eliminate any exceptions. The bill passed by a vote of 187 to 185 and does away with affidavit voting by which a voter could have affirmed by signature that they were citizens if they forgot their ID.
Governor Chris Sununu states that he does not see the necessity of this bill. We will see if this sentiment translates into him not signing the bill into law.
Timeline and status: The House Election Law Committee held their hearing on HB1569 on February 20, and on March 5 voted 10-10 on party lines to support this legislation. The New Hampshire House voted to advance the bill in a 189-185 vote on March 14. The bill will now go to the Senate Election Law Committee for a hearing.
Support HB 463 a bill that would provide an election information portal and support HB 1264, a bill that requires towns and cities provide accessible voting systems for blind or visually impaired and otherwise impaired voters.
Contact the legislative committee to urge them to support these bills.
Democrat Annie Kuster will not seek reelection for her US House seat. The New Hampshire deadline for filing to run for this open seat is in June and the Primary is in September.
EDUCATION
Minimum Standards for Public Schools or "306 Rules
Two public hearings on the proposed changes will be held April 3 from 1 to 3 pm (and April 11 tentative date) at Grant State College, Hall Street, Concord, NH.
The American Federation of Teachers / NH gives the following explanation of the changes proposed:
The 306 rules define a baseline of what all public schools must have for staffing, facilities and what educational programs they must offer. The draft changes to the 306 rules, given preliminary approval in February by the State Board of Education, will restructure our public schools and the way students experience their public education in fundamental ways. Here are a few examples:
By changing the word “shall” to “may” in reference to academic programs offered at the elementary and high school level, the rules give the unwelcomed option to reduce the amount and variety of classes public schools must offer (and fund.) Other changes make classes less rigorous. Why? Don’t we want high standards for our students?
The proposed rule change shifts the role of teacher from one who designs learning activities and engages students in those learning activities to a bureaucratic, record-keeping role of one who signs off on competencies mastered elsewhere with no knowledge of the quality or rigor of that learning experience.
Further the rule change would de- professionalize teaching by removing many of the requirements for schools to have certified teachers while also removing limits on class sizes.
The rule changes would take the power of decision making over many educational issues away from locally elected school boards and places it with the appointed Commissioner of Education and the unelected State Board of Education.
Watch this video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKPjVbbHr-Y)
or access these slides (https://reachinghighernh.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Minimum-Standards-Public-Briefing-March-2024-1.pdf) for a more comprehensive review.
CLAREMONT DEMS NEWS
Introducing Claremont Dems' Refreshed Brand
You may have noticed a fresh look in this month's Blue Bulletin. Over recent months, we've refined our branding and core messages to energize our visuals, enhance marketing consistency and effectiveness, and more clearly align our organization with Claremont's values. Here are the key updates:
Blue Bulletin and Blue Alert Visuals: Our Blue Bulletin newsletter banner has a new, modern look, symbolizing our collective journey towards a brighter future. The Blue Alerts now also feature a distinct header, signaling urgent news or actions.
Website and Blog Page: We've launched a new blog page, "The Blue Bulletin," on our website: claremontnhdems.com/blue-bulletin. This space will host our newsletter, searchable by key word for various topics in back issues; and also alerts, thought pieces, current issues, and more, enhancing our communication and encouraging sharing and engagement through various channels.
Logo Update: We've refreshed our logo to depict Claremont's location and represent our dynamic community focus.
Brand Position Statement: Emphasizing the importance of shared values that drive us, we've adopted the aspirational phrase "Values That Unite, for a Future That Inspires." in our messaging.
Expect to see these updated visuals in our social media and other messaging platforms. These updates mark a significant step in our journey, and help align our visuals with our core values and commitment to Claremont and its future.
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