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Lawsuit Challenges NH Student ID Voter Restriction
Republican-led states say the changes improve election security, while voting rights groups argue the bans burden young voters and have no fraud evidence.
A New Hampshire voting-rights group, the Coalition for Open Democracy, has filed a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 323, which bars voters from using high school or college student IDs as identification at the polls.
The law, signed by Gov. Kelly Ayotte in June, also prompted state election officials to clarify that student IDs cannot be used for voter registration or absentee-ballot identification, expanding the impact beyond Election Day.
Supporters say the restrictions are intended to strengthen election security and standardize acceptable identification, while opponents argue they create unnecessary obstacles for younger voters who may not have a driver's license or other government-issued ID.
The lawsuit seeks to prevent the restrictions from being enforced, with the legal dispute unfolding ahead of New Hampshire's Sept. 8 primary as students and other voters adjust to new identification and registration requirements.