Democrats are often quick to insist that election fraud is a non-existent problem and that non-citizens casting illegal ballots are not a real issue, yet they will also vehemently oppose any legislation from Republicans that is designed to guarantee that non-citizen voter fraud doesn't occur.

Democrats and leftist activist groups are now enraged that Republican New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu has signed into law a bill that strengthens the state's voter ID law and requires proof of U.S. citizenship during voter registration, according to the Associated Press.

Due to the close proximity of the impending elections in November, however, and to avoid any potential legal issues or voter confusion, the new requirements won't go into effect until after the current election cycle concludes.

Voter ID, proof of citizenship required

The legislation, known as HB1569, amends existing election integrity laws and repeals a previous exception to New Hampshire's voter ID law that allowed voters without a valid photo ID to sign an affidavit, cast a ballot, and provide proof of their claimed identity within seven days after the election.

The new law will also require first-time voters in the Granite State to provide proof of their U.S. citizenship, such as through a birth certificate or passport, when registering to vote.

In signing the bill into law on Thursday, Gov. Sununu said, "We have a proud tradition and proven track record of conducting elections that are trusted and true. Looking forward to the next decade or two, this legislation will instill even more integrity and trust in the voting process."

Local ABC affiliate WMUR reported that the bill, sponsored by Republican State Rep. Robert Lynn, was among the most contentious measures considered during the legislative session, and though Lynn didn't believe that non-citizen voter fraud was a huge issue in New Hampshire, he nonetheless believed that his common sense proposal to strengthen existing election laws was justified and necessary.

"It's not unreasonable to require people to be responsible and to do the things that they're supposed to do in order to be qualified to vote," the lawmaker told the local outlet.

Claims of disenfranchisement and threats of legal action

Of course, Democrats and leftist advocacy groups were incensed by the stricter voter ID and proof of citizenship requirements, and lawsuits have been threatened amid claims that the new measures are unnecessary and will only serve to disenfranchise voters who lack the required documentation.

"This extreme legislation signed by the Governor will roll back voting access for all eligible Granite Staters," McKenzie St. Germain, director of the New Hampshire Campaign for Voting Rights, told the New Hampshire Bulletin.

"Once this law goes into effect later this year, any voter may be turned away from the polls if they did not have the correct documents, creating massive new changes to New Hampshire’s registration system, burdening our election officials, and disenfranchising eligible voters," she added.

Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire, told WMUR, "What we have here is a phantom, non-existent problem, which is what this bill is designed to address, and on the flip side, you have legitimate eligible voters who will be adversely impacted."

Governor not giving in to Democratic "fearmongering"

WMUR noted that Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) called the new requirements "un-American" and said they would make it harder for people to vote in the state, but per the Bulletin, Gov. Sununu dismissed all of the criticism and hyperbolic rhetoric as "fearmongering" and not based in reality.

The governor said, "My argument is this: To say that somehow people can’t get identification and documents, in this day and age, 2024, we don’t do anything without documentation nowadays. That’s absolutely required for a variety of different instances in our everyday lives. And this is no different."