The Associated Students University of Idaho rapidly passed several bills through the Senate on Feb. 17, including a bill allocating $700 to produce an ASUI podcast.
A resolution to increase diversity in the Senate also passed, and another resolution opposing a bill moving through the Idaho Legislature was introduced to the Senate.
The bill’s authors, including ASUI President Lauren Carlsen, urged senators to pass the bill during an open forum.
The House bill that the resolution opposes states it proposes to count ballots “only by voters who voted in-person on election day and by voters who voted by absentee ballot.”
The ASUI resolution states, “many students are registered to vote in their home counties and only vote via absentee ballots or early voting.”
Lydia McRoberts, ASUI director of internal affairs, was the first to speak about the bill.
“This past year, we’ve seen our campus turn into a major voting center for the general election, and the turnout was great,” McRoberts said. “The Idaho legislature is now trying to make that harder for students and other Idahoans.”
The bill’s second author is Katelyn Hettinga, ASUI director of legislative affairs.
“If we fail at this resolution, then we will be stating students are not a priority when voting for our elected officials,” Hettinga said.
Hettinga referred to a statement from Rep. Mike Moyle, majority leader and sponsor of the opposing Idaho House bill, where Moyle said, “Voting shouldn’t be easy.” Hettinga said she disagrees.
Moyle’s statement, made on a similar bill targeting ballot harvesting, was in response to a question about a bill potentially requiring a family to make multiple trips to the post office to drop off ballots.
“So, you have to make two trips to the post office. I understand that concern,” Moyle said. “But you know what, voting shouldn’t be easy.”
Shawn O’Neal, ASUI advisor and student engagement director, warned the senators to be cautious during the open forum. O’Neal also warned of making decisions without knowing all the facts.
“The only thing I’m looking for from this body is that you educate yourself and ask questions if you don’t understand,” O’Neal said.
“If you do not understand the voting rights of this, if you do not understand absentee ballots and what it means in the year 2021 and you cast a vote… you are not a student representative. You are somebody along for the ride.”
ASUI President Lauren Carlsen was the last author to speak on the bill during the open forum.
“You are supporting students,” Carlsen said. “You are representing students. This House bill directly negates the opportunity to vote in the way best for them.”
As the bill was formally brought up for discussion later in the meeting, few questions were asked and the Senate moved to new business.
“Well, that was an interesting meeting,” ASUI Vice President Joseph Garrett said as the Senate reached the end of their agenda.
The Argonaut will follow up with more information on the ASUI resolution as the bill progresses.
Cody Roberts can be reached at [email protected] @uidaho.edu or on Twitter @CodyRobReports
John Gannon
Don't forget that the student right to vote is in the Idaho Constitution. Idaho's founders felt it was important enough to protect that in 1890 they specifically provided in Article VI, Section 5 that students right to vote at either location of their educational institution or at their family residence is protected. The authors of this restricted bill are playing with a 130 year old Constitutional protection. - jRepresentative john Gannon District 17 (Boise) and member of the Judiciary and Rules Committee