# Has New Hampshire just enacted a poll tax?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-new-hampshire-just-enacted-a-poll-tax/817854>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [July 13, 2018, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-new-hampshire-just-enacted-a-poll-tax/817854 "2018-07-13T18:29:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-new-hampshire-just-enacted-a-poll-tax/817854/41 "2018-07-14T02:05:29Z")

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If you move from New York to New Hampshire, and you choose not to get a New Hampshire license, you will still be able to vote in New Hampshire. There will be a consequence for not having a New Hampshire license, but that consequence is not that you won’t be allowed to vote; it’s that you won’t be allowed to drive.

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-new-hampshire-just-enacted-a-poll-tax/817854/42 "2018-07-14T02:31:38Z")

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> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> No. But to be argumentative for Socrates’ purposes what about this:
> 
> Assume the same hypothetical. I have an out of state driver’s license that is valid for three more years. My principle place of residence is now NH, and according to the law I must change it. But I am indigent. I also know that if I get pulled over, the officer knowing that NH is my principle place of residence is negligible. IOW, I could very reasonably get away with driving in NH with my out of state license for three more years.
> 
> However, this new law presents me with the choice of driving or giving up my right to vote because to get the free NH ID, I have to invalidate my out of state driver’s license.
> 
> So, it’s not a tax in the sense that (as of the date of my becoming a NH resident) voting is free but I must pay for driving, whereas before both voting and driving were free. To get a bit more absurd couldn’t we say that voting is free, but the state charges an “oxygen use inside polling places fee” per minute you are inside? It’s free to vote; we are just charging for the air.

You can’t make your argument against the state depend on your own illegal conduct.

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