Leading up to the 2024 primary election this winter and the general election in the fall, the Center will offer a variety of tips for nonprofits about nonpartisan voter registration and voter education. We encourage you to share these tips with your staff, board, and the people you serve. This week’s tip: Don’t forget to bring your photo ID with you when you vote this year.
A 2018 law created a photo ID requirement for voting in North Carolina, but it was been tied up in court proceedings, so it has not been enforced for several years. In April 2023, the NC Supreme Court issued a decision reinstating the photo ID law. For many North Carolinians, the 2024 primary election will be the first time in a few election cycles that they will be asked to show photo ID to vote. Many nonprofit organizations have expressed concerns that the voter ID law could make voting more difficult for many people served by nonprofits, particularly seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income citizens. Nonprofits can help pro
The NC State Board of Elections (NCSBE) has posted clear guidance on the new photo ID requirements. Some highlights include:
- A reminder that: “All voters will be allowed to vote with or without a photo ID. If a voter cannot show photo ID when voting in person, they can still vote by filling out an ID Exception Form. If absentee-by-mail voters are unable to include a copy of their photo ID with their ballot return envelope, they can also fill out an ID Exception Form with their ballot.”
- Details on the process of showing a photo ID for in-person voters and absentee-by-mail voters.
- An Infosheet on acceptable forms of photo ID for the 2024 primary election.
- Information about getting a free photo ID from your county board of elections.
- Helpful answers to questions about photo ID requirements in a five-minute video, FAQs, and 10 facts about photo IDs for voting.
You Can Vote also has some helpful “pro-tips” on the most effective ways for nonprofits to communicate with people about the photo ID requirements.
Note: If you missed the first five 2024 Election Tips of the Week (checking your voter registration, requesting an absentee ballot, using the great (and free) resources from You Can Vote, making a plan to vote early, and advantages of being an unaffiliated voter in a primary election), or want a refresher, feel free to click the link to (re)read them now.