Federal Judge Blocks Indiana Student ID Voting Ban

A federal judge has blocked Indiana’s ban on using student IDs as voter identification, a decision that could impact thousands of voters ahead of upcoming elections.

In a ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Richard L. Young granted a preliminary injunction halting enforcement of Senate Bill 10, a Republican-backed law that removed student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of identification at the polls.

What The Ruling Means For Indiana Voters

The decision allows student IDs to once again be used for voting while the case continues in court. For nearly two decades, Indiana accepted qualifying student IDs, but SB 10 changed that policy.

The court found that the law could place a burden on students and young voters, who are less likely to have other forms of identification such as driver’s licenses.

In the ruling, Young wrote that the state’s justification for the change was not strong enough to outweigh the impact on voters.

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Why The Court Blocked The Law

According to Democracy Docket, The court also noted there was no evidence presented showing that student IDs had been used in voter fraud or misconduct.

According to court findings, approximately 40,000 students could be affected by the restriction.

The judge further determined that limiting access to accepted identification could result in what courts consider “irreparable harm,” meaning harm that cannot be undone after an election has passed.

Read More: Indiana Lowers Age To Obtain Driver's License Beginning July 1st

What Happens Next

With the injunction in place, Indiana must allow student IDs at polling places for upcoming elections while the legal challenge moves forward.

The case is ongoing, and a final decision on the law’s constitutionality has not yet been made.