College Students Face Unique Barriers to Voting
Courts have thrown out some requirements, but most college IDs can’t be used.
Voter ID creates new barriers
While more states now require IDs at the polls, many don’t accept student IDs as a valid form. Nine states never accept student IDs. Another 21 states, including Wisconsin, only accept them if they meet certain criteria. Wisconsin also requires student IDs to be accompanied by a proof of enrollment.
A sign at Union South at the University of Wisconsin-Madison lets students know they will need additional identification to vote in Wisconsin beyond their regular college ID. University of Wisconsin System campuses are offering free specialized voter ID cards, but students will need to also bring proof of enrollment to the polls. Photo by Coburn Dukehart of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.
Why is this a problem? One University of Michigan study indicated that the number of people getting a driver’s license — the most common form of accepted ID at the polls — has declined. In fact, many in younger generations have said they never plan on getting a license. They’re too busy. It’s too expensive to own a car. They can catch a ride from others, according to another University of Michigan study.
Gunther Peck, an associate professor of public policy studies at Duke University, said North Carolina lawmakers changed the law to exclude student IDs after the youth vote helped propel President Barack Obama into office in 2008.
“The Republicans knew exactly how to suppress votes. That was their intention,” Peck said. “They looked carefully at how they lost in 2008 and found the weak links in that coalition. The law has made it much harder for students to get the proper ID, and there’s several steps they have to go through now to secure what is a constitutional right: the right to vote.”
Marvin Vergara Jr. shelves books at Arizona State University’s library in Tempe. Arizona is among the states where college student IDs are not valid for voting. Photo by Elizabeth Campbell of News21.
Peck said he saw this issue come up during this year’s presidential primary when many students had to vote with a provisional ballot because they didn’t have the proper ID. According to the nonprofit Democracy North Carolina, there were 29,000 provisional ballots they fought to have counted in the election.
“To put that in context, that doesn’t sound like a lot, but this state was the closest state in the country the last two election cycles, and the margin of difference in 2008 was 14,000,” Peck said. “So this voting law literally has the impact of flipping a state potentially.”
When the law went into effect, then-North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Claude Pope said in a statement that it would ensure the integrity of the elections.
“Signing this bill into law is just plain common sense,” Pope said. “Proper photo identification is needed to do daily tasks in everyday life such as cashing a bank check or boarding an airplane.”
But on July 29, North Carolina’s voter ID law was struck down by a federal appeals court, which ruled the law violated the Voting Rights Act because it was aimed at suppressing the vote of African-Americans. The U.S. Supreme Court on Aug. 31 rejected an appeal by state officials to overturn that decision, so the state’s voter ID law will not be in effect for the Nov. 8 election.
More steps required under Wisconsin ID law
Sally Rohrer, a sophomore at UW-Madison, said obtaining a valid photo ID for voting can be a hassle. As an in-state student, she can use her Wisconsin driver’s license to vote. But it is a different story for many out-of-state students, who must find other photo identification to present at the polls.
Rohrer told News21 that “is just one extra thing … that might deter someone who is not fully committed to voting already.” She now works as a vote ambassador at the Morgridge Center for Public Service educating students and encouraging them to vote.
Sally Rohrer is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She works for the Associated Students of Madison and is a vote ambassador for the Morgridge Center for Public Service. Rohrer, a native of Wauwatosa, Wis., is eligible to vote using her Wisconsin driver’s license, but students without such licenses will need to get other approved photo identification such as passport, military or tribal ID to vote in November. Photo by Coburn Dukehart of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism.
Last school year, as a member of the Associated Students of Madison, Rohrer pushed to get UW-Madison administrators to issue new student IDs that would meet the voter ID requirements — to no avail. “They were really adamant about not changing, mostly from our chancellor,” Rohrer said.
In a statement on her blog, UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank said replacing all students’ existing cards would have been too expensive. The current card has a five-year expiration date; the law calls for no more than two years. The existing card does not have a signature, which the voter ID law requires.
And all of the cards have expensive embedded technology because they are used for a variety of purposes. Blank noted that students who are Wisconsin residents can use their driver’s licenses or other photo ID to vote.
In the end, Blank wrote, the number of students who need a voter ID card is relatively small.
“Experience tells us that — whatever we and others do to encourage voting — a substantial share of students will not choose to vote.”
Natalie Griffin, Amber Reece and Taylor Gilmore contributed to this report. This report is part of a project on voting rights in America produced by the Carnegie-Knight News21 program. The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism contributed to and distributed this report.
The nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (www.WisconsinWatch.org) collaborates with Wisconsin Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Television, other news media and the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication. All works created, published, posted or disseminated by the Center do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of UW-Madison or any of its affiliates.
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Bogus. Your aim seems to be to make it easier for people to vote. Voting is a privilege. You should have to prove you have it. Non-American terrorists should not be able to vote, at least without identification.
Americans are born with the right to vote. Immigrants have to earn the privilege. Why shouldn’t we expect to prove our status at the poll?
It should be easy for citizens to vote, but Wisconsin is making it hard for some citizens to vote (i.e students and non-drivers).
If citizens must “prove” their right to vote, then all citizens should do so. The Wisconsin law exempts existing drivers from this rule. (Older drivers have never been asked to produce a birth certificate.)
Isn’t this story about college students? Why is someone talking about terrorists and immigrants?
Wow.. “voting is a privilege”. No.
It is a right we have as citizens of this nation.
Also the article describes a *your photo ID isn’t good enough* situation where students can prove they are who they say they are.
College students, terrorists… same difference.
Voting isn’t a “privilege.” What utter crock. Wisconsin’s war on democracy continues, aided and abetted by those who let irrational fear take the helm.
Voting is not a privilege for US citizens, it is a right. As long as you are a citizen and you can demonstrate that, within reason, then it is your right. Now that the US system provides voter ID cards to any students who requests them, and the largest private colleges and universities do the same… there are not many people who should have any inconvenience, especially since they can use a passport. Worst case scenario, they get a WI drivers license while they live in WI for school.
I do think it should be a little bit easier for college students, but I don’t see any undo burden here.
UW system, not US….
The problem is that these laws are targeted specifically at Democratic-leaning demographics. The consequences of this imbalance is that they have an effect of making the outcome of the election LESS representative of the will of the people, instead of more.
What a joke…and behind the closes doors -wooo! Republican henchman were destroying college kids right to vote. Give me a break and Early voting in Madison and Milwaukee is September 26th. September 26th. In Glendale, I will have to wait until late October. It is nice that Tom Barrett has money to stuff voting boxes but when young African Americans are living and drinking lead poison Barrett insists there is no money in the budget for the weakest among us.
I’ll accept your (rather emotive and all over the place) non-refutal as a tacit concession.
Passionate red herring, non-sequitor, adding insult to injury, and unsubstantiated accusations for the win.
Jason that comment is rambling nonsense. It reads like a script that sits in front of someone who is a regular caller to Mark Belling’s show. You must be the guy on Green Bay Road near Mill with the Trump sign.
Funny I am a few blocks away but I too have noticed that. Does that guy value his home or life for that matter That guy must have 200 Trump signs. I can just imagine you going over there every night to deprive him of his want to display that banner. I think most conservatives around Milwaukee have learned not to place a Stand with Walker sign on their vehicle for fear of keying or a slashed tire.
” I think most conservatives around Milwaukee have learned not to place a Stand with Walker sign on their vehicle for fear of keying or a slashed tire.” Stupid is as Stupid does.
Value his life? In Glendale, because of a Trump sign? Jason you are a funny guy.
My toddler and I removed it (again) last night. It’s all part of his training. We live near you. We’ll drop by one of these nights. I’ll look for the guy who is living in fear as a conservative in Glendale.
Vincent, you removed someone’s sign from their yard? I’m pretty sure there are laws against that. Or am I misinterpreting the situation? Is this not you stifling someone else’s freedom of speech on their private property?
Jason does bring up a good point, Democrats worry about voter ID laws giving advantage to responsible voters who have proper ID. However, at the same time they support voting laws that give the advantage to large urban areas that lean democrat such as extended early/absent voting hours that suburban and rural areas that lean Republican don’t have the resources for. Hypocrisy abounds.
My face is in my hand. AG, no, I did not remove a yard sign with my toddler in tow. For crying out loud. Unreal. I worry about you sometimes. I really do. No one is removing anyone’s yard signs in Glendale. Jason is being ridiculous, possibly on purpose. Unless he truly believes that the lives of conservatives in Glendale are in danger. Hell maybe you believe that too considering your comment above. Just, wow.
You completely mischaracterize what people fear when it comes to voter ID laws. It’s not about giving advantages. It’s about making sure people’s votes aren’t suppressed because, as you yourself said, voting is a right and not a privilege.
“However, at the same time they support voting laws that give the advantage to large urban areas that lean democrat such as extended early/absent voting hours that suburban and rural areas that lean Republican don’t have the resources for. Hypocrisy abounds.”
It’s needed a lot in urban areas becuase urban areas gerenerally dont have the capacity for all the voters. they get really long lines. suburban areas don’t need it – they have short lines and they easily have the capacity to handle their voters.
nonetheless, they’re certainly welcome to it – nobody is fighting against rural areas having more early voting. they don’t really need it though.
This difference in capacity between urban and rural areas causes more urban voters to be disenfranchised. early voting helps mitiigate it, but you still get things like we saw in ohio a few elections ago where about 20% of the people waiting in line left because the wait was too long, and that decided the presidential election.
“It’s not about giving advantages. It’s about making sure people’s votes aren’t suppressed because, as you yourself said, voting is a right and not a privilege.”
Oh no – there are laws in place where people in urban areas get to vote twice. (sarcasm)
Happy Jack, what are you basing your knowledge of rural and suburban voting locations on? There are plenty of documented cases of long lines at the poles and for early and regular voting (where available) in rural and suburban locations. And if a rural area doesn’t have the resources to provide in person early voting after hours or on weekends, there will be no lines because that opportunity is not available. The early voting laws are a clear advantage to urban voters. How do we bend over backwards for urban voters but it’s ok to make voters in the suburbs or rural areas fill out absentee ballots since they can’t vote early in person?
Vincent, sorry if I missed your sarcasm… I missed it since it is not much of a stretch to imagine considering this sort of thing takes place all the time.
It does not take place in Glendale AG, where I reside and which I specifically mentioned. You should be sorry for thinking I would do that, and with my kid no less. Very sorry. Pardon me for not accepting your apology. We’ve disagreed to be sure, but that was over the line on your part.
It’s needed a lot in urban areas becuase urban areas gerenerally dont have the capacity for all the voters. they get really long lines. suburban areas don’t need it – they have short lines and they easily have the capacity to handle their voters.
nonetheless, they’re certainly welcome to it – nobody is fighting against rural areas having more early voting. they don’t really need it though.
This difference in capacity between urban and rural areas causes more urban voters to be disenfranchised. early voting helps mitiigate it, but you still get things like we saw in ohio a few elections ago where about 20% of the people waiting in line left because the wait was too long, and that decided the presidential election.
Trump does push the line of the 1st amendment – yelling fire in a crowded theater – at his rallies – inciting violence. There is a clear public safety concern.
Vincent, quit feigning insult… you’re the one who made the comment, you can’t expect someone to read sarcasm when the thing you’re saying is common.
HappyJack, clearly you don’t understand the situation in many rural and some suburban communities.
AG, clearly I don’t. I’m glad you were smart enough to draw that conclusion.
Once again, it is not common in Glendale. I was specifically talking about Glendale. Please read more carefully next time.
Not feigning anything. You were out of line. Simple as that.
Here’s a paper I found on voting line length, after a few seconds of googling.
I’m sure it will demonstrate, as AG aptly states is already “clear”, that I don’t know what I’m talking about.
https://www.supportthevoter.gov/files/2013/08/Waiting-in-Line-to-Vote-White-Paper-Stewart-Ansolabehere.pdf
If a voter is not intelligent enough or industrious enough to learn the identification and location realities of voting in their area, then upon what are they basing their voting decisions? I would guess they are basing decisions on things like pithy sound bites they see on social media, emotional drama experienced in political events and demonstrations, media stories about pantsuits and candidates mispronouncing cities in Syria, etc. We need an informed and representative electorate more than we need a large electorate.