Center · Watch · October 23, 2026
Oct 22 · Supreme Court lets New Hampshire bar student IDs at the polls for the midterms; Justice Jackson dissents
The Hill: Supreme Court rules NH can block voters from using student IDs
Grade A (100/100). Article: the ruling, the Purcell principle, Formella's statement, Jackson's dissent, the RNC's brief and the Senate race
Lehrer score 100/100 (no deductions; checked for spin against the transcript: [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶1] 'The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled New Hampshire's top election official can fully stop voters from using their student IDs ... a request backed by the Republican National Committee (RNC).' The ruling and the RNC's role are stated as fact, with no adjective or motive attached.; [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶5 and ¶9] Formella: 'The Supreme Court's decision is an important victory for our efforts to defend those laws'; Jackson: 'an injunction to prohibit that conduct does not contribute to public confusion, it prevents that very problem.' Each side gets its own words at similar length, and the writer doesn't take a side.; [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶10] 'It is not a final ruling in the litigation, and it could return to the Supreme Court after the midterms.' It states the limits of the ruling instead of overstating it.). Fixed scale: 90+ A, 80s B, 70s C, 60s D, under 60 F → A.
No spin found. [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶1] 'The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled New Hampshire's top election official can fully stop voters from using their student IDs ... a request backed by the Republican National Committee (RNC).' The ruling and the RNC's role are stated as fact, with no adjective or motive attached.; [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶5 and ¶9] Formella: 'The Supreme Court's decision is an important victory for our efforts to defend those laws'; Jackson: 'an injunction to prohibit that conduct does not contribute to public confusion, it prevents that very problem.' Each side gets its own words at similar length, and the writer doesn't take a side.; [6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶10] 'It is not a final ruling in the litigation, and it could return to the Supreme Court after the midterms.' It states the limits of the ruling instead of overstating it.
Splits: Article: the ruling, the Purcell principle, Formella's statement, Jackson's dissent, the RNC's brief and the Senate race
- Met. Rule: no spin ([6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶1] 'The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled New Hampshire's top election official can fully stop voters from using their student IDs ... a request backed by the Republican National Committee (RNC).' The ruling and the RNC's role are stated as fact, with no adjective or motive attached.)
- Met. Rule: no spin ([6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶5 and ¶9] Formella: 'The Supreme Court's decision is an important victory for our efforts to defend those laws'; Jackson: 'an injunction to prohibit that conduct does not contribute to public confusion, it prevents that very problem.' Each side gets its own words at similar length, and the writer doesn't take a side.)
- Met. Rule: no spin ([6:50 PM ET Oct 22, The Hill, ¶10] 'It is not a final ruling in the litigation, and it could return to the Supreme Court after the midterms.' It states the limits of the ruling instead of overstating it.)
Same story: NBC News, Washington Examiner