CR80News | Will voter ID laws lower college student vote?

Friday, July 6, 2012

Tougher voter ID laws in many states have some wondering if they could hinder voter turnout among college students.

There seems to be no definitive ID law. What’s required at the voting booth varies from state to state. Tennessee, for example, requires voters to present a photo ID to vote, but student IDs aren’t considered valid for that purpose. A Texas law, which is now in the courts, enables use of a concealed weapons permit as a voter ID, but not a student ID card.

In Pennsylvania, a photo ID with an expiration date is required. Many schools there are producing stickers that can be affixed to student IDs.

A new voter ID law in Kansas is less restrictive. It requires students to submit a photo ID to cast a ballot, but student IDs from any “accredited postsecondary institution in Kansas” are considered acceptable. Missourians can use non-photo IDs, and college, university, and vocational and technical school IDs are valid in the state.

The new laws set up “more obstacles (for student voters),” commented an attorney with the Atlanta-based Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union. “For a demographic that sometimes struggles to get out to the polls, it’s much more challenging.”

A nationwide survey reveals college students have an overwhelming preference to receive financial aid funds on a debit card over traditional check disbursements.

Heartland Campus Solution, a division of Heartland Payment Systems, surveyed more than 6,000 college students, questioning their preference regarding debit cards, and of that surveyed approximately 92% said they were in favor of receiving financial aid on debit cards over checks.

Tennessee court rejects student ID bill

A proposed bill that would enable student IDs issued by Tennessee state colleges and universities to double at voting credentials has failed to pass.

Voter ID laws still confusing to many students

As the November election draws nearer, college students in some states still aren’t sure what kind of identification they’ll need to vote.

For example, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Indiana and Georgia are among states with voter ID requirements in place. So farm, Tennessee is the only state that bans use of any student ID. Others limit use to state institutions or require proof that the ID is valid, such as an expiration date.

S.C. bill would enable student IDs for voter ID

A bill submitted to the South Carolina House of Representatives would let campus IDs with photo be used as voter ID cards, according to a report in the Charleston Democrat Examiner.

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Will voter ID laws lower college student vote?