North Carolina to Implement Voter ID Law, Testing Ground for 2024 Elections

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Nearly half a decade has passed since North Carolina’s legislature, dominated by Republicans, passed a voter photo identification statute. Now, after prolonged obstructions due to legal challenges, this legislation is finally coming into effect, coinciding with local elections concluding next week.

The execution of the photo ID directive has reportedly been smooth across three phases of elections, starting with absentee mail-in ballots in mid-August. This is despite officials having limited means to inform the populace about this new development. A minuscule fraction of ballots have been rejected for non-compliance with the ID requirements.

Mecklenburg County’s election director, Michael Dickerson, expressed that the implementation has exceeded expectations. Voters in North Carolina’s second most populous county are casting ballots for various local positions, including those in Charlotte, the school board, and other municipal offices.

Nevertheless, advocates from voter education and civil rights organizations voice their apprehension, suggesting the ID mandate may obstruct voter participation.

Da’Quan Love, executive director for the state’s NAACP, highlighted the covert nature of voting impediments, especially within disenfranchised groups, stating that the impact on those who may be deterred from voting altogether remains unknown. Amidst ongoing federal litigation against the 2018 law for alleged racial discrimination, an appellate court’s reversal allows its enforcement ahead of a full trial.

The current low-stakes elections may well serve as a precursor to the more intense 2024 electoral process, where over five million individuals are anticipated to vote in the populous state’s significant presidential and gubernatorial contests. The preliminary rounds are slated for March.

Out of approximately 99,000 votes for primary or general elections on September 12 and October 10, only 40 were invalidated due to the ID law, per data from the State Board of Elections. Hundreds of thousands more votes are expected for general elections across around 465 jurisdictions, which traditionally see about 15% voter turnout.

Under the stipulated law, voters must produce a photo ID from an approved list, which includes a variety of options like driver’s licenses and university-issued identifications. Free voter ID cards are available through county election offices. Absentee voters are to include ID copies with their mail-in ballots. In cases where photo ID is not available, provisional ballots are permitted, contingent upon completing an exception form or later presenting an ID at the election office.

The non-profit You Can Vote, focused on voter registration and education, has encountered cases of misunderstanding among voters, particularly new residents, regarding ID requirements. With 70,000 voters educated this year, concerns are growing over potential errors, especially in mail-in voting, which could complicate future elections, according to the organization’s leader, Kate Fellman.

Efforts to expand voter education will benefit from state budget allocations this fall, with plans for widespread campaigns next year. The State Board of Elections is gearing up for differentiated messaging strategies for different voter demographics, as articulated by Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell.

For some, like Kimberly Sherrill, a 63-year-old retired university employee, the process may be somewhat cumbersome but not objectionable. Sherrill is amenable to the idea of presenting identification for voting.

The mandate aligns North Carolina with the 36 states that require some form of voter ID, 20 of which specifically require a photo ID, as noted by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Proponents, primarily Republicans, have long advocated for voter ID laws, citing them as deterrents to fraud and measures to reinforce electoral integrity. Conversely, critics argue that voter fraud risks are negligible, and such laws disproportionately disenfranchise minority and economically disadvantaged voters.

Voters like Bill MacMillan from Cary, 67, recognize that possessing multiple forms of ID is a privilege not shared by all, emphasizing that voter ID laws can inadvertently suppress the vote and run counter to the American ethos.

Despite the 2018 law’s more inclusive criteria for acceptable IDs, its journey has been tumultuous, with both federal and state judiciary blocks for perceived racial bias until appellate court reversals allowed its enforcement. The state Supreme Court’s recent Republican-majority ruling has cleared the path for the voter ID law’s application this fall, with potential implications for the 2024 elections depending on the outcome of the NAACP’s lawsuit which is expected to be heard next year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about North Carolina voter ID law

More about North Carolina voter ID law

• North Carolina State Board of Elections
• National Conference of State Legislatures: Voter ID
• You Can Vote
• NAACP Legal Defense Fund
• Voter ID Laws in the United States