Did an Oct. 22 Supreme Court ruling stop New Hampshire students from using student IDs to vote? Yes.
The rumor is True
“An Oct. 22 Supreme Court ruling stopped New Hampshire students from using their student IDs to vote.”
The fact
A New Hampshire law that took effect June 2 removed student IDs from the list of valid voter IDs.
On Oct. 22 the Supreme Court paused a lower court order that had let officials consider student IDs as backup proof of identity, in an unsigned order based on the rule against changing election rules close to an election; it made no finding of fraud. The trial judge found the state never identified a security problem specific to student IDs. For Nov. 3, school IDs are not accepted, so students need another photo ID.
What to do
Students voting in New Hampshire: bring a driver's license from any state, a passport, a military ID or a New Hampshire voting-only ID from the DMV, not a school ID. Call your town or city clerk with questions.
How this story developed
- The Supreme Court pauses the lower court order in an unsigned order citing election timing, so student IDs cannot be used Nov. 3. Justice Jackson dissents.
- A federal judge leaves the student ID law in place but blocks the state's order barring officials from considering student IDs as backup proof of identity.
- New Hampshire's governor signs HB 323, removing high school and college IDs from the list of valid voter IDs. It takes effect June 2.