{"id":1854,"date":"2026-03-14T13:50:57","date_gmt":"2026-03-14T17:50:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zacharybaiel.com\/blog\/?p=1854"},"modified":"2026-04-26T08:51:55","modified_gmt":"2026-04-26T12:51:55","slug":"student-ids-and-voting-count-us-in-women4change-indiana-and-josh-montagne-vs-indiana-secretary-of-state","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zacharybaiel.com\/blog\/2026\/03\/14\/student-ids-and-voting-count-us-in-women4change-indiana-and-josh-montagne-vs-indiana-secretary-of-state\/","title":{"rendered":"Student IDs and Voting: COUNT US IN, WOMEN4CHANGE INDIANA, and JOSH MONTAGNE vs. Indiana Secretary of State"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

State attorneys are urging a federal judge to reject a request to block Indiana\u2019s ban on using college identification cards to vote, arguing in new court filings that the law does not target young voters or make it harder for them to cast ballots.

-Indiana Capital Chronicle: Indiana AG pushes back against court effort to halt student ID voting ban before 2026 election<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This issue has always been a curious one to me. Before updates in 2015, students were not allowed to vote where they went to school unless they intended to make a permanent home in the precinct. It was impossible to challenge the permanent residency claim since you cannot simply question someone’s registration because they were a student. Previously, students were considered temporary residents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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IC 3-5-5-7 Temporary residency<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sec. 7. Subject to section 6 of this chapter, a person does not gain residency in a precinct into which the person moves for:

(1) temporary employment;
(2) educational purposes;
(3) preparing to purchase or occupy a residence; or
(4) other purposes;
without the intent of making a permanent home in the precinct.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

IC 3-5-5-7<\/a> was updated in 2015 to include a carve out for transient students:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

IC 3-5-5-7 Temporary residency; residency of students attending postsecondary educational institution<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sec. 7. (a) Subject to section 6 of this chapter, a person does not gain residency in a precinct in which the person is physically present for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(1) temporary employment;
(2) educational purposes, except as provided in subsection (b);
(3) preparing to purchase or occupy a residence; or
(4) other purposes;
without the intent of making a permanent home in the precinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(b) The following apply to a student attending a postsecondary educational institution in Indiana:
(1) A student who applies to register to vote shall state the student’s residence address.
(2) A student has only one (1) residence for purposes of this title.
(3) A student may state the student’s residence as either of the following, but not both:
(A) The address where the student lives when the student attends the postsecondary educational institution where the student pursues the student’s education.
(B) The address where the student lives when the student is not attending the postsecondary educational institution where the student pursues the student’s education.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

If they can vote, why shouldn’t they have a valid Indiana issued ID? If every other voter is required to, why should students be given an exception?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Indiana Capital Chronicle discussed the most recent filing<\/a> in the case and pulled out this quote:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Student identification cards are not issued under any statewide election or motor vehicle legal standard, do not require proof of citizenship, lawful presence, or Indiana residency, and vary significantly by institution in format, security features, and issuance procedures<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

To me, the solution is simple. Students who want to vote where they go to school in Indiana need to change their residency to their university address and update their driver’s license or obtain an Indiana ID that reflects this. Voter ID Cards are even free<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

However, this change of residency is exactly the rub students have when I speak to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have not read the full briefing yet, but based on my previous years of conversations around this issue, most students do not want to change their residency away from their parent’s home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For whatever reason, these same students want to vote where they go to school instead of where they claim permanent residency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had originally thought that the address on your voter registration and ID needed to match. However, that is not the case according to the latest Election Day Handbook 2026<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

NOTE: The address on the voter\u2019s photo ID does NOT need to match the address on the voter registration record.<\/strong> However, certain \u201cfirst time\u201d voters who registered to vote by mail will be required to provide additional residence documentation that DOES match their address on the voter registration record. (See Chapter Four on Additional Residence Documentation Requirements.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

And no one should be turned away from the polls. A voter can always cast a provision ballot and provide proof of residency, IDs, etc. at a future date:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

No one should ever be turned away from the polls. No matter what, they can always cast a provisional ballot!<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Another dimension is that students do not want to give their out-of-state IDs, since you cannot hold two state government IDs. From the BMV site<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Identification cards may be issued to an Indiana resident of any age who does not have a driver\u2019s license. You cannot hold both an identification card and a driver\u2019s license at the same time, even if one is issued by another state.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

What do you think? Should student IDs be accepted? Should students be required to have an Indiana issued ID to vote?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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