News & Commentary

In the Lasky litigation on August 7, the Secretary of State’s Office informed the Court and the public that no confidential information was contained on the hand-marked checklists that the Secretary planned on submitting to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity.  These hand-marked checklists are available to the public by the Secretary of State’s Office at the State Archives.  This representation appears to have been incorrect, as some of these hand-marked checklists actually contain confidential and non-public information written by poll workers, including information concerning victims of domestic abuse whose information is private under New Hampshire law.  On Friday, August 25, the ACLU-NH became aware of this issue and the fact that the Secretary of State was orally discussing this issue with municipalities.  That day, the ACLU-NH immediately informed the Attorney General’s Office of its concerns.  

This is an incredibly painful and difficult time for us all.  What happened in Charlottesville, Virginia is deeply disturbing and heartrending. 

The ACLU-NH has joined a federal lawsuit as amicus curiae challenging the Town of Farmington’s social media policy banning Town employees from making comments that “negatively affect the public perception of the town,” asking the federal court to strike it down as unconstitutional.

On July 6, 2017, the American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire and two legislators sued to bar New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner from illegally disclosing statewide information concerning New Hampshire voters.

NASHUA - The Plaintiffs in this case are pleased that the Secretary of State will obey the law by only transmitting pictures of the publicly available marked checklists maintained by the town and already available both from towns and from the State Archives.  The original statements from the Secretary of State manifested an intent to release voter information in a searchable digital file, which the Commission stated would be made available publicly. Today's resolution means that no digital searchable information will be released and the Secretary, who is himself a member of the Commission, has stated that the material submitted will not be made public.

MEDIA CONTACT: Call Paul Twomey at 603-568-3254 for immediate media inquires.   

On July 24, 2017, the ACLU-NH filed an amicus brief challenging the constitutionality of the City of Laconia's public indecency ordinance which bans “the showing of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering of any part of the nipple” in public places.

CONCORD – Today Governor Chris Sununu signed SB 3 into law – creating an unfunded mandate for cities and towns, and long lines for same-day registration. SB 3 narrowly passed the New Hampshire House on June 1, with a 191-162 vote.

MEDIA CONTACT: Call Paul Twomey at 603-568-3254 for immediate media inquiries.                                                                                                                                                                                                     CONCORD -- The American Civil Liberties Union of New Hampshire today sued to bar the New Hampshire Secretary of State William Gardner from illegally disclosing statewide information concerning New Hampshire voters.  The complaint can be found here.