Clinton-Appointed Judge Upholds Prohibition of Student ID Cards at Polls

Last week, a Clinton-appointed federal judge in Nashville upheld Tennessee’s voter ID law denying special privileges to students.  The case was yet another attempt to water down a voter ID law and was filed by the liberal misnamed "Fair Elections Legal Network" and the Nashville Firm of Barrett Johnston Martin & Garrison.  It sought to allow students to use their student ID cards, instead of the IDs everyone else has to use, when voting at the polls and said that the state denying them the ability to do that was age discrimination.

In the memo, U.S. District Judge Aleta Trauger, a known Democrat who was a Clinton-Gore Delegate in 1992 wrote:

Under the Tennessee Voter ID Law, everyone is required to obtain some form of acceptable photo identification in order to vote.  Students, like everyone else, can select among a state-issued driver license, a United States passport, or the free, state-issued non-driver identification card.

Admittedly, allowing students to use these cards (student IDs) would make it easier for them to vote, but it does not automatically follow that not allowing them to use their student identification cards imposes a severe burden or otherwise abridges their right to vote."

Cade Cothren, the Tennessee House Republican Caucus spokesman stated:

"This ruling reinforces the efforts of House Republicans to safeguard the integrity of the ballot box and uphold public confidence in our elections. Photo IDs are a commonplace requirement for accessing a variety of everyday items, ranging from alcohol and tobacco to hotel rooms and rental cars. Students who only have a school ID are eligible for a free state-issued identification card and, under this ruling, will continue to experience absolutely no barriers in exercising their right to vote."

Allowing students to use their school IDs to vote would also open up more instances of fraud at the polls by allowing non-resident students to vote.  If a student wishes to become a resident of Tennessee, they can easily obtain any of the identification cards that Judge Trauger mentioned in her opinion.  The RNLA applauds Judge Trauger’s decision to uphold fair and honest elections in Tennessee.