Thanks to Governor McCrory’s plan to suppress African American votes reduce voter fraud, starting this year a valid form of photo ID is required to vote in North Carolina. Whether you want to support Bernie, Hillary, or Martin in the upcoming Democratic Primary, make sure you and your neighbors have the ID needed for your votes to count.
Which forms of photo ID are valid?
- NC Driver’s License or State ID card
- Passport or Passport ID
- Veterans Affairs ID card
- Military ID card
- Tribal ID card
-
Unexpired Driver’s License or ID card from out-of-state
This site from the state’s Board of Elections has an extensive FAQ section regarding the new ID requirements.
What if I don’t have a photo ID?
You can go to the local DMV office and request a “free” photo ID (gas/time/bus fare is all on you).
Lookup your local DMV location.
When you go to the DMV to request a photo ID, you will need to bring documents proving your identity and residence. The accepted documents are listed here. Remember that you need to bring TWO qualifying documents to meet the requirements to get an ID.
Voter ID cards will be mailed, NOT issued on site.
The NC DOT claims that it will only take up to 10 days to get your ID card in the mail, but I wouldn’t give them the benefit of the doubt. If you or someone you know needs one of these IDs, I recommend getting to the DMV by the end of this month. The last thing I want to hear is someone requesting an ID in February and having the card arrive after the Primary elections.
I need a ride to the DMV/polls and can’t afford bus fare.
Our Governor has a solution for you! And by solution, I mean links to the state party websites:
Three of North Carolina’s major political parties have agreed to assist in transporting voters to obtain acceptable photo ID for voting.
Seriously, if this isn’t the most blatant “pass-the-buck” move I have seen…
If you live in or close to Charlotte:
The Charlotte for Bernie Sanders group will be glad to help you out. The best way to reach them is through their Facebook page.
If you live elsewhere in the state:
Getting in touch with your County’s Democratic Party is your best bet. There’s supposed to be a list of County party contact info here, but the well-oiled machine we call the NCDP can’t figure out how to embed Google Docs onto a webpage. Why can’t they just use a plain ol’ HTML table?
I would type “___ County Democratic Party” into your favorite search engine and see what comes up.
Are you registered to vote?
You have to be registered to vote at the latest 25 days before Election Day if you want to cast a vote. February 19th is the deadline to register and vote in the 2016 Primary.
Do you know if you are registered? Lookup your information here.
Do you need to get registered? The NC Voter Registration form is available here. Unfortunately, our state doesn’t offer online voter registration, so you will have to print the form and either mail it or deliver it to your local Board of Elections office.
Lookup your County’s BOE office.
You can also get paper voter registration forms at your local Board of Elections office, public libraries, high schools, college admissions offices, and several government agency offices:
- North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (NC DMV)
- Public Assistance Agencies
- Departments of Social Services (DSS)
- Departments of Public Health (WIC)
- Disability Services Agencies
- Vocational Rehabilitation offices
- Departments of Services for the Blind
- Departments of Services for the Deaf & Hard of Hearing
- Departments of Mental Health Services
- Employment Security Commission (ESC)
Disclaimer: I am a volunteer with the local Bernie Sanders campaign.