FAQ: Voter ID

Overview

On this page, find answers to questions about North Carolina’s voter ID requirement, including acceptable ID types, how to get a free ID, voting procedures, and exceptions. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Tab/Accordion Items

Yes. County boards will be issuing voter photo IDs during early voting. They cannot issue IDs between the last day of early voting and Election Day, however.

Election workers are looking to see if the photo on the ID “reasonably resembles” the voter. Election workers will be trained to understand that appearances may change over time. If the election worker checking the voter in does not believe the photo reasonably resembles the voter, the voter will still be allowed to vote unless the judges of election at the polling place unanimously agree that the photo does not bear a reasonable resemblance to the voter.

Yes. If a voter does not provide ID, instead of voting with an ID Exception Form or voting with a provision ballot and later returning with ID, the voter may simply decide not to request a ballot at that time, go get an ID, and then return to vote. Once a voter accepts a ballot, however, they may not return to vote.

The State Board is developing a process for approving student and public employee IDs for voting. Lists will be added to this page as soon as IDs are approved.

Yes. A ballot from an eligible, registered voter with a properly completed ID Exception Form must be counted. Such a ballot may only be rejected if the bipartisan county board of elections has grounds to believe that the voter provided false information on the form.

No. Photo ID is not required for military or overseas voters who vote using special absentee voting procedures that federal law makes available for such voters. Find more information at Military and Overseas Voting.

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