Jessi Rae Morton, News Editor 

With the Nov. 5 general election just over a month away, North Carolina residents should take steps to ensure that their voter registration is current and that they are aware of new photo ID requirements for voting. This article covers important deadlines as well as recent changes to help readers of The Carolinian make their own plans to vote. 

In North Carolina, the deadline for registering to vote is Oct. 11. Voters can register online or by mail, and voter registration status can also be checked online with the North Carolina State Board of Elections. If a person misses the registration deadline, they will still be able to register and vote on the same day during the early voting period (10/17-11/2), but same-day registration is not allowed on Election Day.  

According to the North Carolina State Board of Elections, “College and university students may register and vote in the county where they live while they go to school if they do not intend to return to their former home after graduation. If the student does not know where they will go after college, they may register in their college community or using their former home.” Students attending UNC Greensboro can register in Guilford County or in their home county. 

It’s important to remember that during early voting, a person can only vote in their home county, and on Election Day, a person can only vote at their assigned polling place. If a student registers to vote in Guilford County, they will have the opportunity to vote on campus during early voting. If a student registers to vote in their home county, they will need to make a plan to vote in that county. Early voting days and times may vary by location. The Guilford County early voting calendar is available online, and other counties are likely to have this information readily available as well. 

Perhaps more importantly, after a long legal battle, North Carolina voters are now required to show a photo ID before voting, both during early voting and on election day. For most voters, this will mean showing their driver’s license, but many other forms of photo ID will be accepted. “No-fee ID cards” are available through the DMV for some voters, and your county board of elections can also provide a free voter photo ID. Other voter ID details can be found on the State Board of Elections website. UNC Greensboro student and employee ID cards are acceptable photo IDs for voting purposes. 

The state has been working toward requiring photo ID for voting for many years, and while earlier efforts failed, an amendment to the state constitution was approved by voters in 2018. Despite passing a statewide vote, that measure had also been held up in court until the NC State Supreme Court changed course in 2023. The new requirement went into effect for 2023 municipal elections, and some voters already have experience with the process.  

The new rules continue to be controversial, particularly because the NC State Supreme Court revised its own prior decision after the court’s party makeup shifted from Democratic to Republican. However, in August of 2023, several voters “told WRAL they didn’t mind the new rules” according to a report by Will Doran, and the law does allow for a wide range of identification to be used. In total, “thirty-six states have laws requesting or requiring identification at the polls, 21 of which seek photo ID, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures” as Gary D. Robertson reported for AP News earlier this year. 

Even if a person forgets their ID on Election Day, they may still complete a provisional ballot and return to their county board of elections to show their ID by 5 p.m. on the 9th day after the election. Alternatively, they may complete a “Photo ID Exception Form” to explain why they are unable to obtain a photo ID. Being aware of voter registration deadlines and photo ID requirements will help members of the UNC Greensboro community make their plans to vote.