BOISE, Idaho — Newly proposed House Bill 54 looks to eliminate student IDs and personal affidavits as acceptable forms of voter identification in Idaho.
Currently, an affidavit affirming a voter's name and address can be signed instead of providing identification. The affidavits are later verified by the clerk's office. Under the current law, voters can face felony charges for providing false information on affidavit documents. Thus far, such fraud has been rare in the state.
In last year's general election, affidavits and student ID cards were not widely used. Out of the 136,180 voters in Ada County, 572 people used personal affidavits and 63 people used student IDs. Both are a fraction of a percentage point.
In that same election, Canyon County only had 275 personal affidavits out of the 58,828 votes cast. The county does not track how many student IDs are used.
Representative Tina Lampert, who introduced the bill, says the state must do what it can to prevent fraud.
“Student IDs are often not considered a reliable form of identification for voting because they are issued by educational institutions, which may not have strict standards for verifying a person’s identity," Lampert said, in a statement to Idaho News 6. "Strong penalties for voter fraud are not always effective in deterring fraud or ensuring secure elections. We must implement measures that are effective at preventing fraud while also making it as easy as possible for eligible citizens to vote. This bill does that.”
