Voter ID in North Carolina: Examining Barriers to Democratic Participation
By Ahaana Agarwal
Many of you may have heard the term “Voter ID” before - and along with it, you may have noticed a lot of controversy. Voter ID is basically just a fancy way of saying that you need to present a photo ID in order to vote - this may be a drivers license, a state ID from the DMV, a passport, student photo ID, employee ID, you get the point. Only 36 states request or require ID to vote, and out of those, only 24 explicitly require photo ID - North Carolina being one of them. You may be wondering “what's the point of voter ID in the first place?” Well, its intended purpose is to prevent voter fraud or impersonation, as we don't want someone voting on behalf of another person, or saying they are someone they’re not. However, questions have arisen about how serious of a problem voter fraud really is, and thus, how needed voter ID really is. According to the Post-Election Audit report conducted by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, out of the 4.8 million people that voted in the 2016 general election, there were only 2 cases of voter impersonation referred to prosecuters.So once again, it's important to consider the pros and cons - how do the issues voter ID is trying to combat weigh against the issues voter ID is creating? First, before we get to that, let’s discuss the process of how voter ID actually works.
If someone is unable to provide a photo ID when voting, they must fill out an ID exception form, also known as a reasonable impediment form. In this form, they must include the reason why they are unable to show an ID. According to the NC State Board of Elections, the only valid reasons not to provide a photo ID are as follows: lack of transportation, disability or illness, lack of birth certificate/other documents needed to get an ID, work or school schedule, family responsibilities, photo ID is lost, stolen, or misplaced, applied for photo ID but have not received it, the voter has a religious objection to being photographed, or the voter was a victim of a a victim of a declared natural disaster by the Governor or President within 100 days of Election day. This list may seem like it encompasses all the possible reasons someone may not be able to obtain a photo ID, but as I will explain later, this isn't exactly the case.
It is important to note that you can’t just fill out an ID exception form, vote, and then proceed to have that vote counted, no questions asked. After filling out the ID exception form, you must fill out something called a provisional ballot. Provisional ballots are counted separately from regular ballots, and it is entirely possible that your provisional vote application will get rejected. In fact, according to the County Board of Elections, in the 2024 general election, out of the 4,275 provisional ballots filed by those who filled out voter ID exception forms, 3,634 were accepted, and 641 were rejected. This is equivalent to a roughly 15% rejection rate, or 1 in every 7 provisional ballots getting rejected.
Voter ID requirements specifically hinder the ability of many marginalized groups to use their voting power, such as disabled people, young people, and people of color. And when provisional ballots get rejected, the voices of those groups continue to be stifled.
First, let’s look at how voter ID requirements affect disabled voters. While “disability/illness” is technically an option on the voter ID exception form, it's important to realize - that reason still very often gets rejected. While it is true that the option of mail-in voting still exists, voter ID laws still require you to obtain a photo ID, and nowhere in the nation is it possible to obtain a first time photo ID completely online. There are several steps involved in obtaining a photo ID, and it is arguably not the most accessible process. First, you must gather all the necessary documents, proof of identity/age, social security, and residency. Then, you must physically visit an in person license office like a DMV, fill out the application form, pay the fee, and stand at the counter to get your photograph taken. While this may sound like a normal process for many abled voters, it can be easy to overlook some of the seemingly minute details which in reality, can be very limiting for disabled voters. For example, many disabled individuals are immobile, and it can be unsafe and unrealistic for them to get to an in person office. According to The Arc US, for example, as a part of an individual testimony, a man named Ralph with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy was hospitalized due to this condition for 6 months - he couldn’t leave the hospital during treatment, let alone go to a DMV and get a photo ID. Another example is a woman named Laura, who has Limb Girdle muscular dystrophy and chronic muscular respiratory failure. It’s much safer for her to do things online instead of in person, since she’s immunocompromised. Even physically signing an application form can be challenging for paralyzed individuals or those who have weak muscle movement; some individuals with epilepsy, autism, or traumatic brain conditions may not be able to be photographed due to bright light sensitivity.
And here’s the thing - not only does federal law mandate that the voting process be accessible for disabled voters, but more importantly, 1 in every 3 eligible voters has a disability or lives with someone who does. When voting becomes inaccessible, these individuals are pushed to the outside of the democratic process.
Beyond this, voter ID laws can be a civil threat to several other groups, including young adults, which may include you. While many states, like North Carolina, label photo ID cards as being “free”, that isn't always the reality. There are often many hidden costs that come with the process, which require paying out of pocket, including paying for prerequired documents like birth certificates or passports, transportation costs, or taking time off of work. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, nearly 500,000 eligible voters do not have access to a vehicle and live more than 10 miles from the nearest state ID-issuing office that is open more than two days a week. This number skyrockets to 1.2 million when discussing eligible black voters, as people of color are more likely to be disenfranchised by these laws since they are less likely to have photo ID than the general population.
Even if you are not a part of these specific demographics, as a young voter, it may be difficult for you to gain access to the necessary documents to get a photo ID, such as a birth certificate or passport, due to not being able to get them from your parents, cost limitations, misplacement, or name discrepancies surrounding marriage, divorce, or name changes. However, to get a photo ID in the first place, applicants need these documents; to get these documents, they need a photo ID. This creates a constant, impossible loop that leads to the unfortunate reality that, to many, voting just doesn't seem worth all that effort.
At the end of the day, we share a common goal: fair elections, an inclusive democratic process, and a just America. The question is not whether we want these things, but how we achieve them. On the North Carolina 2026 Midterm ballot, you will see a referendum concerning voter ID policy; state law already requires photo ID for in person and mail-in voters, but the referenderum would amend the state constitution to require all voters to have photo ID. If this referendum were to pass, it could have drastic effects on the voting power of several marginzalized groups, one or more of which may include you. However, even if you don't think this issue directly affects you, I implore you to look beyond the seemingly reasonable words of the policy itself and consider how its requirements and processes affect ALL voters. After all, a policy’s true impact cannot be measured by what is written on paper, but by how it shapes the lives, realities, and rights of the people it is meant to serve.
