By Ruth Brown, Idaho Reports
House State Affairs introduced a bill Monday that would prohibit the use of student IDs as a form of identification at the polls. The bill would also prohibit the use of signing an affidavit in lieu of an ID.
Rep. Tina Lambert, R-Caldwell, pitched the bill as a way to reduce voter fraud at the polls.
Under current Idaho law, students may use their school identification as a valid form of ID to vote at the polls. Rep. John Gannon, D-Boise, expressed concern about removing the option. He offered the example of a student who has a driver’s license from their hometown, but he or she lives in the city where the university is located.
Idaho law also allows voters to sign an affidavit if they do not have a valid personal ID, as long as they can provide proof of residence, using something such as a piece of mail. Lambert’s bill would remove that option.
Legislators introduced similar legislation last year, and the Idaho Republican Party discussed the proposal at its convention this summer.
The bill must still get a public hearing before it can move forward.
Ruth Brown | Producer
Ruth Brown grew up in South Dakota and her first job out of college was covering the South Dakota Legislature. She’s since moved on to Idaho lawmakers. Brown spent 10 years working in print journalism, including newspapers such as the Idaho Statesman and Idaho Press, where she’s covered everything from the correctional system to health care issues. She joined Idaho Reports in 2021 and looks forward to telling stories about how state policy can impact the lives of regular Idahoans.