The US Supreme Court has allowed New Hampshire to ban student IDs as a form of voter identification ahead of the upcoming midterm elections in November. This decision came through a brief unsigned order, siding with an appeal backed by the Republican National Committee (RNC).
Background
The court referenced a longstanding principle that lower federal courts should not alter election rules too close to election day. The challenge arose from a directive issued by New Hampshire state officials earlier this year, which stated that student IDs could not be used for voting identification, even as a backup under the so-called "safety valve" identification.
New Hampshire has mandated that voters present an ID since 2012. However, earlier this year, the state's Republican governor, Kelly Ayotte, signed a law tightening these rules by removing student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of voter ID.
Arguments
Voting rights advocates have criticized the directive, claiming it would disenfranchise young voters who may not possess a driver's license or passport. Conversely, Republicans argue that the directive is essential to combat voter fraud.
