(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana officials are defending a new law that prevents college student ID cards from being used as voter identification at polling places.
State attorneys are asking a federal judge to reject a request that would temporarily block the law before the 2026 primary election. The rule, passed in 2025, updated Indiana's voter ID requirements and specifically removed student IDs from the list of acceptable forms of identification.
Voting rights groups and an Indiana University student filed a lawsuit challenging the change. They argue the policy could make it harder for college students to vote, particularly those who rely on campus IDs instead of driver's licenses or other government-issued identification.
The state argues the law is constitutional and does not create a significant barrier to voting. Officials say other forms of identification remain valid, including a driver's license, Bureau of Motor Vehicles ID card, or U.S. passport.
State lawyers also argue student IDs vary widely between schools and are not issued under a consistent statewide standard.
A federal judge is expected to decide soon whether to temporarily block the law before the May primary. A full trial in the case is currently scheduled for January 2027.