Student identification cards will no longer be an acceptable form of ID to vote in New Hampshire elections under a Republican-backed bill Gov. Kelly Ayotte has signed into law.
Instead, registered voters will have to produce a form of government-issued photographic ID, such as a passport or a driver’s license, to get a ballot.
Proponents of House Bill 323 say this is an important safeguard against fraudulent voting, while opponents say the requirement will make it harder to vote and add that voter fraud is exceedingly rare.
Ayotte, a Republican, signed House Bill 323 on Friday. It takes effect June 2.
“This bipartisan legislation is a measured approach to ensure that the identification used to cast a vote possesses the requisite information to prove the holder is legally eligible,” she said by email Monday.
The N.H. Senate passed HB 323, 16-8, on March 5, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. The House passed it on Jan. 7, 190-148, with all Republicans in favor and all but five Democrats against.
Keene City Clerk Terri Hood said students occasionally use student ID to obtain a ballot at a voting station, but that she doesn’t have firm numbers on how often this occurs. Still, she said an education process will be needed to inform Keene State College students and others that their student card will no longer be an acceptable form of ID.
Another Republican-backed measure requires proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate or a passport, in order to register to vote in New Hampshire. That law, which was passed in 2024, is being challenged in court.
Republican efforts to place greater restrictions on voting come after years of unfounded accusations by President Donald Trump that there has been widespread fraud in national elections.
Courts and nonpartisan policy organizations have found no evidence to back up these claims.
N.H. Secretary of State David Scanlan said in a recent news release that New Hampshire elections are “secure, transparent and trustworthy.”
U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., who is running for the U.S. Senate, criticized HB 323 in a statement he released Monday.
“This bill won’t make our democratic system stronger; it will only restrict eligible voters from casting their ballots, and it’s an obvious attempt by Republicans to prevent Granite Staters from holding them accountable at the polls in November,” Pappas said.
Sen. James Gray, R-Rochester, argued in favor of the bill before the N.H. Senate on March 5, saying it would “enhance voter identification security and uniformity.”
“If we go back in election law, we used to accept identification from local businesses. We would accept identification from other sources, but we have found over the years that that is not a prudent thing to do.”
He said the bill would build “greater confidence in the voting process, establishing clear, dependable rules, while still ensuring individuals can vote without difficulty.”
But opponents say the real aim of the legislation is to suppress the student vote, which tends to favor Democrats.
Tracy Walsh is the town clerk in Hanover, which is home to Dartmouth College.
She said the measure will disenfranchise voters, especially first-time voters, those who do not drive and those who can’t easily get to a state Department of Motor Vehicles’ office.
Rick Green can be reached at 603-352-1234, extension 1435, or rgreen@keenesentinel.com.
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