Voter Registration By Students Raises Cloud of Consequences

by Aaron Goldstein // Published September 25, 2008
On September 7, 2008, the New York Times published an article entitled "Voter Registration By Students Raises Cloud of Consequences" which details plans of many different states to punish college students for re-registering to their college campus. (To view this article click here)

The Virginia Board of Elections has claimed that if a college student registers on a Virginia campus that the state has the right to "remove the student as dependents on their parent's tax returns" or even lose financial aid and scholarships. Due to a 1979 Supreme Court ruling that determined the legality of a student registering to vote on a college campus, there have been several attempts at making restrictions on the rights of college students.

South Carolina has also made it a requirement for a student to show that they have an intention on keeping their residency for several years before they are permitted on registering to vote on a college campus.

As stated on the Maryland Board of Elections website, "if you do not consider your parent's home to be your home and do not intend to return there after school, your school address may be your residence." (For more specifics click here)