Photo ID! What Is Required to Cast Your Vote

Hello Indivisible Citizens of Catawba Valley,

It’s another Take Action Tuesday from the ICCV Legislative Committee. A few quick updates on prior topics, then we will talk about PHOTO ID REQUIREMENTS FOR VOTING IN NORTH CAROLINA. 

QUICK UPDATES: 

North Carolina HB 958, “Election Law Changes” – the omnibus elections bill, with its many provisions that will make it harder to vote in North Carolina, passed both chambers of the North Carolina General Assembly along party lines. Democrats call it a “power grab.” On August 17,  Governor John Stein vetoed the bill, calling it an “anti-voter law.” Although House Republicans have vowed to override the veto, it is unclear whether they have the votes to do so, and they are not expected to return to Raleigh until after the mid-term elections. https://ncnewsline.com/2026/08/17/stein-vetoes-republican-backed-anti-voter-north-carolina-elections-bill/

Trump’s Executive Order restricting mail-in ballots requires the Postal Service to only send mail-in or absentee ballots to residents who are on a list of eligible voters submitted by the states. On Friday, the USPS issued a rule giving states 60 days before the November 3 election day to notify whether they intend to submit the voter list. The order is currently blocked by a federal judge, although the administration has requested the Supreme Court to rule on the matter.  Stay tuned! 

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/6045248-usps-mail-in-voting-guidelines-tighten/

https://thehill.com/regulation/court-battles/6023907-judge-blocks-usps-trump-voter-order/

YOU NEED A PHOTO ID TO VOTE! 

North Carolina has required photo ID to vote since 2023, despite legal challenges. The current guidance from the North Carolina State Board of Elections states that voters who cannot present an approved ID will be allowed to vote by completing an ID Exception Form. However, that option could be lost if the proposed NC Constitutional Amendment passes. (In short, the Amendment would require a photo ID for all forms of voting, including absentee by mail voting. We will discuss the proposed constitutional amendments in a future Take Action Tuesday.)

However, for the 2026 midterm elections, the following forms of photo ID are acceptable:

·      North Carolina Driver’s License

·      North Carolina State ID card 

·      US Passport or Passport Card

·      North Carolina Voter ID card, issued by your county Board of Elections

·      North Carolina Student ID approved by NCSBE (Note: Not all colleges and universities are on the approved list https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id/student-and-public-employee-ids-approved-voting

·      Employee ID issued by NC state or local government (same link as student ID)

·      Out-of-state driver’s license or ID Card (NOTE: ONLY if you registered to vote less than 90 days before the election, which was August 5, 2026)

Note that the above forms of ID must be in date or be expired less than 1 year (longer if it expired after your 65th birthday), are not required to have the same address as your voter registration, and must show your name, or a name similar enough to your voter registration to allow election officials to verify that the ID and the registration are the same person. 

Other forms of ID that are acceptable and not required to have an expiration date:

·      Military ID

·      Veterans ID issued by the VA

·      Tribal enrollment card issued by a recognized tribal government

https://voteriders.org/states/north-carolina/

HOW TO DO IT

1.     Share this information far and wide. Help your neighbors, family, and friends to get prepared to vote. Election Day is 10 weeks from today. You have time! Get it done!

2.     Check your voter registration @ https://vt.ncsbe.gov/RegLkup/ We know you already checked but do it again. Some sources are recommending taking a screenshot of the page to take with you to the polls. 

3.     Check your photo ID. Make sure the ID you plan to use meets the requirements above. 

4.     Don’t have an acceptable form of ID? You will have the ability to fill out a Photo ID Exception Form at the polls. However, do your best to get the ID you need. 

a.     Go to your local Department of Motor Vehicles office and request a free state ID card. You will need to go in person with the required documents proving your age, identity, Social Security number, and residency (such as a utility bill). https://www.ncdot.gov/dmv/license-id/identification/Pages/default.aspx#reviewDocsFeesOffices

b.     If you need assistance gathering the documents, or obtaining the state ID, contact the Vote Riders helpline: https://voteriders.org/freehelp/

c.     You can also visit your local County Board of Elections to request a free voter ID card. This card is ONLY for voting, and does not serve as a state ID. You only need to provide your name, date of birth, and the last 4 digits of your Social Security number. In Catawba County, the Board of Elections is located at 145 Government Drive, Newton NC 28658. It is open Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/voter-id/get-free-voter-photo-id

WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT:

We have previously discussed the importance of high turnout to make elections harder to overturn or question. It is up to every voter to do whatever we can to make sure our vote is counted. As the election structure in North Carolina has become more partisan, the risks that legitimate votes will be discounted, is real. It would be a shame to vote and find out your voice wasn’t counted. North Carolina requires photo ID with some exceptions. While this does effectively disenfranchise larger numbers of elderly, poor, Black, and Brown voters, it does not prevent the almost non-existent risk of voter fraud or voter impersonation. Voter ID laws do make it harder for people to vote, suppress access to voting, and decrease turnout. https://www.lwv.org/blog/whats-so-bad-about-voter-id-laws

This week’s quote: 

There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter. It all matters. 

                        ~ Barack Obama, 2016

Our primary focus will continue to be on elections between now and election day. If there is a particular election-related issue you would like us to research and address, please e-mail us at iccvlegislation@gmail.com

Thank you for everything you do to protect our democracy! 

ICCV Legislative Committee                                                                                                               

“With Liberty and Justice for ALL”