New Hampshire’s white tower liberals and their advocates in state government have been adamant about their policy on College students voting in the Granite State. While we have called this voter fraud, the Democrats insist that if you go to school here, then you should be able to vote here.
But are these “New Hampshire voters” getting screwed over by these same liberal establishment types? Are the same people who insist students should be able to claim residency for the purposes of voting for Democrat candidates, denying these students the same status when it comes to the cost of their education?
Using UNH as an example, the average New Hampshire voter who applied to attend the State school from someplace outside New Hampshire, shall not be denied their “right” to affect our elections, but must still pay 110% more per year in tuition than a New Hampshire “voter” who is defined by the university as domiciled inside the state for billing purposes. And the progressives think voter ID disenfranchises the poor?
Of course the real conundrum is that voter registration is proof of residence. According to the State University systems detailed policy on proof of domicile, 6.5.6 includes voting residence as a factor in proof of domicile for in-state tuition. But does it? You have to prove residence for 12 months prior to applying for entrance to qualify. There is a residency officer who can challenge status even after admission. If your parents move away after you start school you will eventually lose the in-state benefit if they are paying for half or more of your tuition and you listed them as your primary residence on the application. And the conditions and variations go on and on.
You might have to provide tax returns, vehicle registrations, an in state drivers license, or other documents to verify your domicile to avoid being charged out of state rates that are almost double the average in state tuition. But in a not-so-strange twist of left wing hypocrisy if you would like to affect the local budgets, a $224 million dollar plus state budget, and the outcome of both local and national elections…you just have to show up and announce with certainty that you are someone who can vote here.
Why not do the same for In-state tuition? No ID needed. Just a promise that you really are allowed to claim in-state tuition rates. Perhaps the time has come to end the inequality in the cost of higher education in New Hampshire and the requirements of a system that prohibits some people from participating in the State University system because of onerous identification requirements.
No voter ID, no ID needed to prove domicile. It’s the only fair thing to do.
