Raleigh -- July 18, 2026: The North Carolina State Board of Elections has approved a change to the way county election boards evaluate certain ballots cast without a photo ID, a decision that has sparked debate over election integrity and voter access.
The Board voted 3-2 along party lines to amend a rule governing ballots cast by voters who do not present an acceptable photo ID but instead complete a Photo ID Exception Form explaining why they qualify for an exception under state law.
The change does not alter North Carolina's voter ID law or the list of acceptable photo IDs. Instead, it changes how county election boards determine whether a voter properly qualifies for an exception.
What Changed?
The State Board originally adopted the photo ID implementation rules in 2023 and finalized them in early 2024. Under those rules, a county board of elections could reject a ballot only if all members unanimously agreed that a voter had falsely claimed to qualify for a photo ID exception.
Under the newly approved rule, a simple majority vote of a county board will be sufficient to reject a ballot if board members determine that the voter does not qualify for the claimed exception.
Supporters of the change say the previous unanimity requirement made it unnecessarily difficult to enforce North Carolina's voter ID law and was inconsistent with how county election boards typically make decisions.
Supporters Say It Strengthens Election Integrity
Republican members of the State Board argued that the revised rule helps ensure photo ID exceptions are used only by voters who legally qualify.
They said requiring unanimous agreement placed an unusually high burden on county boards and prevented them from rejecting ballots even when a majority believed the exception claim did not meet legal requirements.
Supporters contend the change simply aligns these decisions with the standard majority-vote process used for most other election board actions.
Critics Raise Concerns About Ballot Rejections
Democratic Board members and voting rights advocates opposed the change, arguing that lowering the threshold from unanimous agreement to a majority vote could increase the number of ballots rejected.
Critics also expressed concern that county boards could apply the rule differently, resulting in inconsistent decisions from one county to another. They argue the previous unanimity requirement served as an important safeguard to protect eligible voters from having ballots rejected based on subjective judgments.
What It Means for Voters
For most North Carolina voters, the rule change will have no impact. Voters who present an acceptable photo ID when voting will continue to follow the same procedures as before.
The revised rule primarily affects voters who cast a ballot without photo ID and rely on one of the state's legally recognized photo ID exceptions. Those ballots may now receive additional scrutiny from county election boards when determining whether the voter qualifies for the exception.
Looking Ahead
The rule change must still complete North Carolina's administrative rule review process before taking effect.
As the 2026 election season approaches, the decision is expected to remain a point of political and legal debate, with supporters viewing it as a measure to strengthen election integrity and opponents warning it could increase the likelihood of valid ballots being rejected.