After the new voter photo identification law taking effect in this year’s presidential election — which the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ordered a lower court on Tuesday to reconsider its decision upholding the law — as students in Pennsylvania, we need to ensure that we understand exactly what is required to vote this year.
According to Penn State Live, valid forms of ID under the new law include a: Pennsylvania driver’s license; Pennsylvania Department of Transportation photo ID card; U.S. passport; U.S. military ID; employee photo ID issued by the Federal government, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania County or Pennsylvania Municipal government; and a photo ID issued by a Pennsylvania care facility.
As a college student, you have two choices on where you can register to vote, according to Votes PA. You are able to register and vote where you live now, whether that is an on-campus or off-campus address. You can also choose to register to vote at your prior home address. But, with this voter ID law, in order to vote in this election, you must have a valid piece of identification with a name, photo and expiration date.
For Penn State students, changes have been made to the Penn State ID+ Card to help provide a valid voting credential for students who have no other form of acceptable ID for voting under Pennsylvania’s new law, according to Penn State Live.
There’s an expiration date added to all ID+ cards issued since May 7, 2012. Penn State has taken the necessary steps to aid the students who don’t have valid identification and were issued an ID+ card before May 7. There will be stickers with expiration dates issued to current student cardholders who would like to use their ID+ card to vote.
Penn State students who are not out-of-state and already possess a Pennsylvania driver’s license do not need an ID+ card expiration date sticker. But students who want a sticker will need to present their ID+ card and affirm that they have no other form of valid ID for voting.
But for out-of-state students, you need to start planning accordingly because it’s a little different. If you don’t possess a passport or you don’t have one with you at school, you must get this sticker.
In order to vote, you will need to present a U.S. passport or the Penn State student ID with an expiration date at the booths. The expiration date stickers are now being issued at the ID+ Office in 103 HUB-Robeson Center, Findlay/Johnston Commons, Pollock Commons, Redifer Common, Simmons Hall, Waring Commons and Warnock Commons.
Today’s Rock the Vote event should be about more than the music — use it as a reminder to take steps to make sure you’ll be able to vote Nov. 6.
