Stats
Resident — 18, 981
Nonresident — 8, 269 (30% out of the 27, 250 total enrollment)
Most Boise State students coming from out of state either have a driver’s license from their home state or a university student ID.
Of the 27, 250 students enrolled at Boise State, 30% come from out of state, according to Boise State’s Fall 2024 student enrollment report.
Two Idaho House Bills passed in 2023 regulate voter credentials and requirements, which can make it difficult for nonresident students voting in Idaho for the 2024 presidential election.
Idaho House Bill 340, effective since July 1, 2023, states all individuals must present proof of a government-issued ID and proof of Idaho residency for voter qualification.
Idaho House Bill 124, effective since Jan. 1, 2024, removes student IDs from the bill’s original list of acceptable and legitimate forms of voter identification.
Two voting advocacy groups BABE VOTE and the League of Women Voters sued the state for passing the two bills in March 2023.
“These laws were enacted soon after Idaho had shown a 66% increase in the percentage of 18 and 19-year-old registered voters,” Sam Sandmire, BABE VOTE board member, said. “Right after that happened, the legislature came in and targeted students to make it harder for them to vote.”
After the Fourth District Court of the state of Idaho first dismissed the suit, BABE VOTE attempted to appeal the case with the Idaho Supreme Court.
The Idaho Supreme Court dismissed BABE VOTE’s suit appeal.
How to register to vote in Idaho
Idaho pre-voter registration and requests for absentee ballots are now closed.
However, people can still register to vote in-person at their nearest polling location offering early-voting services until Friday, Nov. 1, or on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 5.
Individuals registering on Election Day in Idaho need to bring a current photo ID card and proof of residency.
Valid forms of identification include a non-expired Idaho driver’s license, an Idaho identification card, a passport or federal ID, a tribal ID card or a concealed weapons license issued by an Idaho county sheriff.
Proof of Idaho residency includes a photo ID with the correct address, proof of insurance, a property tax assessment or bill, a utility bill excluding phone bills, a bank or credit card statement, a pay stub or paycheck, an intake document to a care facility, an enrollment letter from an Idaho high school or university, a letter from a social service agency or a mortgage, lease or rental agreement.
How to obtain a free ID Card in Idaho
U.S. citizens living in Idaho who do not have an Idaho driver’s license can apply for a free ID card at their nearest county Department of Motor Vehicles for use as a valid form of identity for voting, according to Vote Idaho’s registering to vote webpage.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old and cannot already possess any state issued driver’s license in the six months before applying. The applicant must indicate the new ID card is for voting purposes, and provide proof of U.S. citizenship if their local county’s DMV does not have a current scanned copy of their U.S. citizenship on file.
“The free ID is the same as the standard Idaho identification card, just offered at no charge to eligible applicants,” according to the Idaho Transportation Department pdf webpage. “Applicants must provide all the same required documents for a standard ID card or driver’s license (which includes proof of Idaho residency and proof of age and identity).”
Where to vote in-person near you
Individuals registering to vote in-person and going to vote in-person can visit Vote Idaho’s Casting Your Ballot webpage by entering their information to find the nearest polling location, to see their sample ballot and to review their voter information.
Students can vote at Boise State’s Alumni and Friends Center located at 1173 W. University Dr.
To learn more information about the 2024 Idaho general election and other voting inquiries, visit VoteIdaho.gov.
