Board Approves Additional Student and Employee IDs for Voting | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, N.C.     The State Board of Elections has approved 21 additional student and government identification cards to be used for voting purposes in North Carolina for the primary and general elections in 2024.


    The newly approved cards, listed below, are in addition to the 100 student and employee IDs approved in July 2023. A complete list of acceptable IDs is available at NCSBE.gov/voterID.

    Institution Category

    Alamance-Burlington School System (Alamance County) Employee

    Alamance Community College (Alamance County) Student, Employee, and Early College Employee

    Alexander County Government (Alexander County) Employee

    Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College (Buncombe and Madison Counties) Student

    Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort, Washington, Tyrrell, and Hyde Counties) Student

    Buncombe County Government (Buncombe County) Employee

    Carolina Charter Academy (Wake and Harnett Counties) Employee

    Guilford College (Guilford County) Student

    Pitt Community College (Pitt County) Student and Employee

    Sandhills Community College (Moore and Hoke Counties) Student, Sandhoke Early College Student, and Employee

    Town of Chapel Hill (Orange County) Employee

    Town of Hillsborough (Orange County) Employee

    Wake Technical Community College (Wake County) Student

    Wilkes Community College (Wilkes, Ashe, and Alleghany Counties) Student and Employee

    Wilson Community College (Wilson County) Student

    All approved student and employee identification cards are acceptable statewide for use as photo identification for voting through December 31, 2024.

    "We appreciate all colleges and universities and local governments that have applied to have their IDs approved," said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. "We urge all North Carolina voters to ensure they have an acceptable ID for voting purposes ahead of the 2024 primary election on March 5."


    In the most recent ID application period, from November 13 through December 15, the State Board sought applications from eligible educational institutions and government employers that wished to have their IDs approved for voting purposes.

    State Board staff reviewed the submissions to ensure they complied with criteria in state law. The recommendations for approved IDs were provided to the five State Board members for review. No State Board member objected to the staff recommendations.

    All institutions recommended for approval complied with the requirements of Approval of student identification cards for voting identification. N.C.G.S. § 163-166.17 and/or Approval of employee identification cards for voting identification. N.C.G.S. § 163-166.18. See the full applications at NCSBE Public Files Folder: 2023 Student and Employee ID Applications.

    Voter Photo ID Background

    Voters in North Carolina now will be asked to present photo identification to vote. Most voters will simply show their driver's license. But there are many other acceptable photo IDs.

    For more information on the photo ID requirement, including the current list of acceptable IDs, see Voter ID. Voters who do not have an acceptable form of ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Learn more at Get a Free Voter Photo ID.


    Voters can also get a free ID card from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Find more information under "No-Fee ID Cards" at State IDs | NCDMV.


   Contact: Patrick Gannon
   Public Information Director
   Email: patrick.gannon@ncsbe.gov