RNC Defends Indiana’s Student ID Voting Ban

The Republican National Committee (RNC) backed Indiana’s law banning the use of student IDs for voting, filing a brief Thursday urging the court to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the law.

The lawsuit filed in April by pro-voting groups Count US IN, Women4Change and a student voter, claims the law, known as SB 10, is a direct attack on young voters and violates the First, 14th and 26th Amendments.

The RNC defends the law as constitutional and neutral, arguing that banning student IDs is a valid policy choice and not a form of age discrimination.

“Indiana’s exclusion of student IDs from its category of acceptable proof of identification does not discriminate against young voters,” the RNC argued. “SB 10 applies equally to everyone regardless of their age. It sets a uniform standard for all Indiana voters.”

Plaintiffs cited data showing that 70% of student voters at Indiana University Bloomington in 2020 were under 21, and 92% were under 29. But the RNC still disputes the idea that this law targets students based on age, arguing that many young people don’t attend college, attend a private institution or have the same access to a state ID as any other age group.

The RNC shifts the focus to election integrity in its brief, going on to emphasize that Indiana — like other states — has an interest in preventing voter fraud and doesn’t need to prove actual fraud to enact ID restrictions.

“A State may take action to prevent election fraud without waiting for it to occur and be detected within its own borders,” the RNC added. “Applying the same requirements that millions of Indiana voters comply with is hardly a severe burden.”

Voting rights advocates say this is part of a national trend targeting student access. At least 20 GOP-led states have passed or supported measures making it harder for students to vote.

The court has not yet ruled on the state’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.