It’s long been noted that Texas law will accept a concealed carry license as a valid “voter ID” to present when voting — but ID cards from the state’s universities didn’t qualify as such.
Rep. Erin Zwiener (D-Driftwood) has introduced legislation to add university-issued photo IDs to the list of acceptable forms of identification. She filed HB 1950 on Tuesday.
Currently, acceptable forms of identification for voters to present when they go to the polls include a driver’s license, an election identification card (issued by the Department of Public Safety), a military ID and a U.S. passport — all providing they have not expired.
“When young Texans engage in the electoral process, they stay engaged for the rest of their lives,” Zwiener said. “Texas has one of the lowest voter turnouts in the nation. Let’s fix that by removing unnecessary barriers between our university students and the ballot box.”
Housed within District 45 is Texas State University. With a student population of nearly 39,000, it is essential to address the unique barriers students face when trying to vote. In the 2018 elections, Hays County authorities added additional early voting days on the campus and also staffed a campus polling place on election day.
“Our democracy is precious, but it’s dependent on healthy participation,” Zwiener said. “Texas has the opportunity to celebrate and protect our democratic traditions by making it more accessible.”
According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, more than 600,000 are enrolled at Texas public universities.
