Fastrack · Supreme Court Lets New Hampshire Bar Student IDs for Voting

The Supreme Court on Thursday blocked a federal judge's order letting New Hampshire election officials weigh student IDs. The order applies to the November midterms.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the only noted dissenter.
The unsigned order cited the principle against late changes to election rules.
The Republican National Committee backed the state's emergency request.
Gov. Kelly Ayotte signed the student ID law this year.

Why it matters: A state law enacted in April already barred student IDs as primary identification. The fight was over a separate safety-valve provision.

That provision lets voters without proper photo ID prove identity with other evidence.
31 points: Democrats' edge among younger adults in a recent CNN poll.

How 16 sources split on this story

Source landscape

Factuality

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Strong LeftLeftLean LeftCenterLean RightRightStrong Right

Political Bias

Coverage by lean% of 16 sources

16 sources · 17 articles · 44% Left coverage

Where they split: The parties disagree over which outcome causes more voter confusion: the judge's October order or the court's reversal of it.

Center3 sources

Bloomberg2hSupreme Court Backs Republicans in New Hampshire Voter-ID Clash The Hill1hSupreme Court rules NH can block voters from using student IDs USA Today2hSupreme Court sides with GOP in New Hampshire student ID voting fight

Left coverage, 7 sources: The left frames the order as a win for Republicans that narrows ballot access for young voters before a key Senate race.

MSNBC2hSupreme Court backs GOP and New Hampshire against student IDs for voting NBC News2hSupreme Court says New Hampshire student IDs can’t be used to vote in November CBS News13mSupreme Court rules New Hampshire can ban use of student IDs for midterm voters CNN2hSupreme Court says New Hampshire can limit use of student IDs for voting Political Wire1hSupreme Court Says Student IDs Can’t Be Used to Vote Raw Story1hGOP election official's ‘misleading’ info passes Supreme Court muster days before midterms The Boston Globe49mUS Supreme Court: N.H. can ignore student IDs for Nov. 3 vote

Right6 sources

The Epoch Times54mSupreme Court Allows New Hampshire to Bar Student IDs at Polls for Midterms Just the News1dSupreme Court rules New Hampshire student IDs cannot be used to vote in November NTD49mSupreme Court Allows New Hampshire to Bar Student IDs at Polls for Midterms The Federalist1hSCOTUS Says NH Can Close Student ID 'Loophole' In Elections The Washington Times53mSupreme Court allows New Hampshire to fully ban student IDs for voting in midterms Washington Examiner35mSupreme Court allows New Hampshire to bar student IDs for voting

What’s next: Republican John E. Sununu faces Democratic Rep. Chris Pappas for retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen's seat. The stakes of the Nov. 3 race include control of the chamber.

Coalition for Open Democracy's lawsuit against the law itself remains pending.
How many New Hampshire voters relied on student IDs under the safety-valve provision?
How quickly will election officials and voters learn the rules changed again?