A federal judge has temporarily blocked an Indiana law that would ban the use of student identification cards as valid voter ID, keeping the restriction from taking effect while a legal challenge continues in federal court.
The lawsuit was filed by several voting rights groups and student plaintiffs after the law was passed earlier this year. They argue the measures unfairly targets college students and could prevent thousands of eligible voters from participating in future elections. The injunction remains in place following the May primary election.
In the ruling, the judge said enforcing the restriction while the case is still active could cause irreparable harm to student voters. As a result, the state is barred from implementing the law until the court reaches a final decision.
Marion County Clerk Kate Sweeney Bell has said there are no verified cases in Indiana of voter fraud involving student IDs, raising questions about the necessity of the restriction based on existing election data.
“The state plucked out a specific class of people, students, and said, ‘No, what you have isn’t good enough,'” Bell said.
Although not directly involved in the lawsuit, Common Cause Indiana says the ruling could have a significant impact on future statewide elections. The group estimates the injunction could preserve voting access for tens of thousands of college students across Indiana.
“It is an acceptable form of ID for almost all transactions. So, it certainly should be for voting in Indiana,” executive director of Common Cause Indiana, Julia Vaughn said.
Some students, however, seem to have a neutral reaction regarding the decision. “I feel pretty neutral about it,” senior CPHS student Calvin Stewart said. “I mean, I can show my ID if that’s what they need, that’s fine. As long as I’m able to vote, I’m okay with it either way.”
It is still unclear whether the injunction will be overturned before the next election cycle. If the court lifts the block, county election officials would again be required to reject student IDs as valid voter identification at polling places.
For now, election officials across Indiana say they are continuing to follow the court’s order and are closely monitoring the case as it moves through the federal appeals process.
