Deadline Approaching for Applications for Photo IDs for Voting

Raleigh --  Press Release The State Board of Elections reminds eligible educational institutions and government agencies that the deadline is

approaching to apply to have their student and employee photo IDs approved

for voting purposes in 2025 and 2026 elections in North Carolina.

This year in North Carolina, municipal elections will be held in September, October, and November, depending on the municipality. Next year, the primary is in March and general election is in November.

All previous ID approvals expired on Dec. 31, 2024. The State Board will accept applications for new ID approvals through April 1, 2025. This is the last anticipated application period before the 2025 municipal elections.

As of March 17, 2025, 35 educational institutions and government agencies had applied for their IDs to be accepted for voting purposes. In addition to government agencies, charter schools are also eligible to have their employee IDs approved for voting..

“In 2024, the IDs of more than 100 such organizations were accepted for voting purposes,” said Karen Brinson Bell, State Board executive director. “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.”

How to Apply

To request approval for use in the 2025 municipal elections and 2026 primary and general elections, an institution must provide a signed approval form and a digital image of the ID card to the State Board on or before April 1.

Previously approved student or employee ID cards may not require an entirely new request for approval. If an institution’s IDs (1) were approved by the State Board in 2023 or 2024, (2) contain an expiration date, and (3) have had no changes to the card since its approval, the institution will simply select the “Statement of No Changes” box on the approval form. No new digital image is required for an approved card with no changes.

Public colleges and universities may seek approval of both student and employee ID cards, but they must submit separate approval forms for each type of ID.