Voter suppression comes for college students
The U.S. Census Bureau counts college students as residents of their college towns (on or off-campus). The state accepts federal aid based on population.
It is a shabby trick to use the college population to secure federal aid while making it as hard as possible for them to vote. HB 323 would make college and high school student IDs no longer acceptable as proof of identity for voting. The bill was passed in the House and Senate by Republicans who say this is to prevent voter fraud.
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, in person voter fraud in New Hampshire “is rarer than getting struck by lightening” None of the bill’s sponsors could offer evidence of voter fraud associated with student IDs. Instead, the Chairmen of the House and Senate election law committees expressed concern about students printing student IDs “off of a card reader you can buy on eBay for 20 bucks” or making fake IDs “printed on cardstock.”
We fear that the reason to exclude college IDs in HB 323 is that some in our
legislature consider students as automatic D voters
If this bill is not vetoed, college voters — especially those without a driver’s license or
passport — will be turned away solely because they don’t have the “right” document, even when they can otherwise prove who they are and that they are eligible.
Please contact Kelly Ayotte and ask her to veto this bill. Call at 603-271 2121 or
email at GovernorAyotte@governor.nh.gov.