FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ETI Applauds New Hampshire for Strengthening Election Integrity with Government-Issued Voter ID Requirement
“This law doesn’t diminish student voices—it protects them,” Cuccinelli said. “By applying consistent, verifiable standards, it ensures that the votes of eligible student voters are not diluted and that their voices are fully and fairly counted.”
— Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of ETI
Arlington, VA — April 8, 2026 — The Election Transparency Initiative (ETI) today commended New Hampshire lawmakers and Governor Kelly Ayotte for enacting HB 323, legislation requiring voters to present government-issued photo identification, eliminating the use of student identification cards at the polls.
The measure removes student ID cards from the list of acceptable identification and instead requires more secure, government-issued forms of ID such as driver’s licenses or passports.
“New Hampshire is taking a commonsense step to ensure that voter identification is secure, consistent, and verifiable,” said Ken Cuccinelli, National Chairman of ETI. “Requiring government-issued ID helps protect the integrity of elections while maintaining clear rules that voters can understand and follow.”
Under prior law, student ID cards were accepted as valid identification despite lacking standardized security features and, critically, not including a verifiable residential address—making them less reliable for confirming voter eligibility.
“Identification used for voting should meet a basic standard: it must reliably confirm both identity and eligibility,” Cuccinelli said. “Student IDs do not meet that standard.”
The new law aligns New Hampshire with broader national efforts to strengthen voter verification and public confidence in elections, including ongoing debate in Congress over Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which would establish a federal standard requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote in federal elections.
“States like New Hampshire are leading the way,” Cuccinelli added. “The SAVE Act builds on this same principle—clear, enforceable standards that ensure only eligible citizens are registered to vote.”
While some opponents have raised concerns about access, New Hampshire law provides clear pathways for eligible voters to obtain proper identification. The state offers a free photo ID for voting purposes, available through the DMV with a voucher from a local clerk or the Secretary of State.
Documentation requirements:
https://www.dmv.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt416/files/inline-documents/dsmv634b.pdf
ETI emphasized that policies like this demonstrate that election integrity and voter access can go hand in hand when clear, consistent standards are applied.
Media Availability:
Ken Cuccinelli is available for TV, radio, podcast, and print interviews to discuss how this law protects the votes—and voices—of eligible New Hampshire student voters, and what this means for broader election integrity efforts nationwide, including the SAVE Act. Members of the media may submit interview requests by responding to this email or at: https://electiontransparency.org/contact/
About the Election Transparency Initiative
ETI works nationwide to advance commonsense election reforms that protect the integrity of the vote and strengthen public trust in election outcomes through policies that enhance transparency, accountability, and confidence in American elections. Ken Cuccinelli serves as National Chairman of ETI. He previously served as Acting Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and as Attorney General of Virginia.
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