College Democrats push student voter bill

USI College Democrats are asking State Sen. Vaneta Becker, R-Evansville, to vote yes to a bill that would allow college students to use student identification cards to vote.
 

Last week, the Indiana House of Representatives amended Senate Bill 254 to authorize university ID cards as a valid form of voter identification. The proposed bill also carried a new amendment that states no ID card expiration date or indefinite expiration date is required in order for the ID to be valid.
 

In past elections, USI students could not use their ID cards because of the required expiration date. But in light of the possible bill, USI College Democrats say the change would help create more student voters.
 

“We want to make the voting process as accessible as possible,” said Nicholas Holmes, vice president of the USI College Democrats.
 

The bill would allow USI students without an Indiana driver's license a chance to vote and would cut down on the number of provisional ballots, which Holmes said discourage college students from voting.
 

In November, Holmes said he spoke with several students who did not have a valid driver's license, and therefore, could not vote.   Others sought out provisional ballots or waited for a ride to their nearest election office.
 

“One person had to ride home with a stranger so they could vote,” Holmes said.  “So, it affects a lot more people than one would think,” he added.
 

Holmes said when he asked the USI administration to add an expiration date to the student IDs they said no.
 

Kate Vincent, legislative assistant for Sen. Becker, said the senator does support the bill “in theory,” and reiterated that she voted in favor of the bill before the additional amendment was attached.
 

“The concern was that there was no expiration date on a student ID.  So, I think there needs to be some safe guards put into the bill as far as student IDs, otherwise, they can use them long after they are students,” Becker said.
 

She also said the student ID does not prove residency, whereas a driver's license does, which could lead to a student voting more than one time, especially if a student is a resident in another state.
 

Holmes said he encourages students to contact Becker and express their comments or concerns about the bill.
 

“This is good for all students, whether they be Democrats or Republicans,” he said.

“She may be hearing three or four voices for a bill she doesn't necessarily have strong convictions on,” Holmes said.