New Hampshire Republicans have passed legislation that would bar high school and college students from using their school-issued identification cards to vote, sending the measure to Governor Kelly Ayotte for her signature.
House Bill 323 would remove “valid student identification card” from the list of acceptable forms of voter identification under New Hampshire state statute. Voters would still be able to use a driver’s license from any U.S. state, a state-issued non-driver’s identification card, a U.S. armed services identification card, or a U.S. passport or passport card.
The bill passed the House 190-148, with five Democrats joining all Republicans in support. The Senate passed it Thursday, 16-8, along party lines.
Supporters argue the bill closes a potential loophole that could allow ineligible voters to cast ballots using fake student identification cards. Sen. James Gray (R-Rochester) said the measure brings student ID in line with the state’s broader push toward government-issued photo identification — a standard already applied to workplace IDs, which lawmakers previously removed from the accepted list.
“This update builds greater confidence in the voting process, establishing clear, dependable rules, while still ensuring individuals can vote without difficulty,” Gray said.
Sen. Dan Innis (R-Bradford), a professor at the University of New Hampshire, added that university-issued IDs lack key information such as age and domicile — details that appear on government-issued identification. “I could have this ID long after I’ve left the university, as could many students,” he said.
Democrats argue the bill is a thinly veiled attempt to suppress the college student vote. Students in New Hampshire college towns such as Durham and Hanover have historically leaned heavily Democratic.
New Hampshire first passed its photo identification voting requirement in 2012. Before that, voters could provide their name and address, sign an affidavit, and cast a ballot without showing any identification. The bill now heads to Governor Ayotte, who has not yet indicated whether she will sign it
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