505 more Purdue students now have IDs that will let them vote in local elections thanks to the school’s so-called “fee vacation.”
As of August, Purdue now prints expiration dates on student ID cards to make them comply with Indiana’s voter ID law. These new IDs cost $10, but they were available at no cost to students who exchanged their current one during a specified week in October.
Purdue Bursar Tim Riley says more than 1,300 students have received voter ready IDs since they were released, but only the most recent 500 didn’t pay a fee.
Purdue’s fee waiver was only available to out-of-state students. Those who missed it, or were ineligible can still receive a fee reimbursement from the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette’s P/UVote campaign.
League Voter Services Chairman Ken Jones says all students need is their receipt.
“In state, out of state, we’ll reimburse it,” Jones says.
Even before Purdue announced it would print the new IDs for free, the League of Women Voters of Greater Lafayette raised $6,000 to reimburse those who’d have to purchase one. However, the P/UVote campaign has only reimbursed one student so far.
The League’s Voter Services Chairman Ken Jones says he expects more demand during next year’s presidential election.
“Some years we will expect demands to be larger, like next year with a presidential and in 2022 with a midterm,” Jones says.
This campaign will continue through 2023. Students looking to be reimbursed for their new IDs can do so online through the P/UVote website. Donations can be made there as well.
Students who do not turn in an old ID will be charged $25 and the League will not reimburse those fees.
