Lawmakers in Indiana are considering a bill that would ban students who pay out-of-state tuition from voting in the state, the Indianapolis Star reports. The House Elections and Apportionment Committee considered the bill on Tuesday.
Opponents of the bill argue that it is extremely difficult for some residents to get in-state tuition, even after living in Indiana for years, which easily qualifies them to vote in the state.
And the bar for getting in-state tuition can be very high, said Eddie VanBogaert. He was an Illinois resident who chose Purdue University. After four years as an undergraduate, paying out-of-state tuition, he stayed in West Lafayette, started a business and even got elected to the West Lafayette City Council — and still had trouble convincing Purdue that he was eligible for in-state tuition for graduate school.
The law could run into legal trouble, too.
Indiana’s constitution says a person who is at least 18 and who has been a resident of a precinct for the 30 days preceding an election may vote.
Chrissy Faessen, vice president of Rock the Vote, which encourages young people to vote, said courts have rejected efforts to set a higher bar for some to establish residency to vote than for others.
