The first of four educational mailings about the photo ID requirement for voting, which takes effect in 2020, will soon arrive in mailboxes of North Carolina residents. Every residential household in the state — 4.7 million in all — will receive a mailer in the coming days.
“The March 2020 primary is quickly approaching, and we want to make sure voters are informed about the state’s photo ID requirements,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “These mailings are part of the State Board’s efforts to educate and prepare voters.”
Beginning in 2020, North Carolina voters will be asked to present photo ID to vote, though certain exceptions apply. All voters will be allowed to vote. Voters who don’t have an acceptable ID will be offered a provisional ballot. Voters who vote by mail will be asked to include a copy of their ID.
The 2020 primary election is March 3. The general election is Nov. 3.
In the November 2018 general election, 55.5 percent of the state’s voters approved a referendum requiring voters to present a photo ID to vote. Session Law 2018-144, as amended by Session Laws 2019-22 and 2019-239, implements the new photo ID law. Legal challenges to the law are pending.
As part of the law, the State Board is required to send four educational mailings about voter ID to all residential households in the state.
The first mailing explains pertinent details related to the photo ID requirement:
- Which types of IDs are accepted
- How voters can obtain a free Voter ID Card
- Policy for voting without an acceptable photo ID
- Qualifying exceptions to the requirement
A complete list of acceptable IDs for 2020 is available at voterid.ncsbe.gov.
For more information about North Carolina’s photo ID requirement, visit voterid.ncsbe.gov or contact the State Board at (919) 814-0744.