North Carolina’s State Board of Elections is reminding residents of the looming deadline to apply for photo IDs approved for voting.
Applications must be submitted by April 1, 2025, for the 2025 and 2026 elections. Municipal elections kick off this September, October, and November across various towns. Next year, the primary hits in March, followed by the general election in November.
Previously approved IDs expired on Dec. 31, 2024, prompting this renewal push. Consequently, this marks the final application window before the 2025 municipal races. As of March 17, 35 institutions, including schools and government agencies, have already applied. Meanwhile, charter schools also qualify to submit their employee IDs for approval.
“In 2024, the IDs of more than 100 such organizations were accepted for voting purposes,” said Karen Brinson Bell, State Board executive director in a press release. “We have a long way to go to reach that number, but there’s still time. The State Board is ready to assist these schools and government agencies as they work through the approval process.”
To apply, institutions must act swiftly. They need a signed approval form and a digital ID image sent to the State Board by the deadline. However, some previously approved IDs dodge a full reapplication. If an ID was greenlit in 2023 or 2024, has an expiration date, and remains unchanged, there’s a shortcut. Those institutions simply check the “Statement of No Changes” box on the form. No new image is required in such cases.
Public colleges and universities face a slightly different process. They can seek approval for both student and employee IDs. Yet, they must submit separate forms for each type. This ensures clarity and compliance with voting regulations.
