Written by Matt Murray for the NH Labor News
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If you think the elections are over then you would be wrong. In New Hampshire they are currently holding numerous recounts throughout the state. While the overall media opinion is that New Hampshire voting went smoothly. There were a few issues with the new Voter ID law and long lines.
The biggest story comes from Merrimack. The entire town voted in one polling station. Over 18,000 registered voters in Merrimack were force to go to the town high school to cast their ballot. This could be the largest polling station in the country. There were long lines at the polls but the traffic getting to the polls actually kept people from the polls. The town has a significate traffic problem on a normal day now add in thousands of people trying to go to a school with only two entrance roads. The town ended up keeping the polls open till after 8pm due to the traffic on the roads. It is unknown how many if any were turned away or neglected to go because the polls were supposed to be closed.
The good thing is that all 15,000 people who cast their ballot in Merrimack had their ballot counted. This is not the case in some places.
In Maricopa Arizona thousands of people exercised their Constitutional Right to vote and yet their vote has still not been counted. Listen to the dramatic story of this first time voter who was forced to file a 'provisional' ballot.
UNITE HERE has been on the ground in Arizona since the election season started. They were working to turn out voters. They registered 34,000 new voters like Faez. Now the state is refusing to count their votes.
UNITE HERE and other community members are standing up for these voters. Working to ensure that they get their voice heard this election. They will be hosting a rally tomorrow at the Maricopa County Recorders Office.
Holding up our rights is paramount to what we in the labor movement have fighting for since the beginning. Ensuring that our collective voice is heard is what labor is all about. Now we have to hold the government accountable to ensure that all voters get their voice heard too. Our right to vote is guaranteed by the Constitution and nothing the Maricopa Country Recorder does will ever take that away.