Chairman Berry and Members of the Committee,
U.S. Vote Foundation and its Overseas Vote initiative appreciate the opportunity to submit this statement in opposition to House Bill 1382. For 21 years, our nonpartisan nonprofit organization has worked to support military and overseas citizens in exercising their right to vote under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). During that time, we have developed and maintained comprehensive public-facing tools used nationwide to help voters successfully navigate the absentee voting process from abroad.
Despite decades of effort to modernize and streamline overseas voting, participation remains strikingly low. According to data from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP), only approximately 7.8 percent of eligible overseas voters participate in presidential general elections, and participation drops to as low as 3.4 percent in midterm general elections. These figures should concern all of us.
UOCAVA, enacted in 1986 and strengthened by the MOVE Act in 2009, is a well-conceived framework that provides uniform processes and protections across states. Yet significant practical hurdles remain for voters abroad. Adding new requirements, particularly those that increase complexity or risk, will only further depress participation. If the effect of HB 1382 is to discourage New Hampshire citizens abroad from voting, then unfortunately, it will succeed.
HB 1382 is advanced under the banner of election integrity, yet no evidence has been presented of a problem it seeks to solve. There are no known, documented instances of non-citizens abusing the overseas voting system. Existing safeguards are sufficient.
The challenge facing UOCAVA voting is not fraud; it is under-use by eligible citizens. There are many genuine election administration challenges that merit legislative attention—this is not one of them.
Of particular concern is the bill’s requirement that voters transmit proof of citizenship. In practical terms, this means voters will be asked to scan or photograph highly sensitive identity documents and transmit them electronically, often via unsecured email, across international networks and servers. This creates an obvious and unnecessary risk of identity theft and misuse. We should never ask citizens to place their personal security at risk in order to exercise their fundamental right to vote.
Under current law, overseas voters already carry their eligibility and rights with them through a proven, lawful process. What they need is improved outreach, clearer communication, and administrative support—not additional regulatory burdens.
HB 1382 would also impose new costs and operational demands on election officials who are already constrained by limited resources, diverting time and funding from higher-priority needs.
In the absence of any demonstrated abuse, creating new systems, new requirements, and new risks makes little sense. We respectfully urge the committee to take a broader view of overseas voting realities and to avoid imposing unnecessary regulations on voters and election officials alike.
For these reasons, U.S. Vote Foundation and its Overseas Vote initiative strongly urge the committee to reject HB 1382.
Sincerely,
Susan Dzieduszycka-Suinat,
President and CEO
U.S. Vote Foundation
January 26, 2026