How to Get ID to Vote

(and Other Official Documents)

January 25, 2014

Why Are We Talking About ID?

New law says a state-approved photo ID is required to vote in

person, starting in 2016

Why Now?

• Starting in 2014, poll workers will ask in-person voters if they have one of the required IDs. You don’t need to answer or show an ID in order to vote.

• The State Board of Elections will help those without an ID get one for free

• Official NC documents needed to get an ID will also be available to registered voters for free

REACHING VOTERS WITHOUT ID

Who Doesn’t Have an ID?

We can’t be sure how many people don’t have an acceptable government IDs, but research shows they are most likely to be

• poor • elderly • women • non-college youth • people of color

IDEAS FOR REACHING VOTERS

Voter ID Outreach: Part of a Whole

• Because the majority of voters you encounter will already have an acceptable form of ID, outreach to help “get people voter IDs” should only be done with education about other voting law changes.

• This encourages a conversation about voting without frightening people.

Strategy Suggestions: Registration

Conduct voter registration drives in locations where you’re likely to meet up with people from affected communities

• Seniors• People of color• Non-college youth• Poor people• Renters

Strategy Suggestions: Registration

• When you’re registering someone to vote, ask, “Do you have a driver’s license or a state ID?”

• Explain to voters that a new law says they will need a government photo ID for the next presidential election.

• Offer to help voters who don’t have an acceptable form of ID or who say that they know someone who might have problems.

Strategy Suggestions: Registration

• Try partnering with local nonprofits that serve communities likely to be affected.

• Offer to register their clients and provide educational materials about the voting law changes.

• Include questions and information about IDs and the voting law changes in your conversations while registering voters.

Strategy Suggestion: Phone Calls

• Call voters who potentially lack proper photo ID. We can provide lists and scripts!

• Call the members of your church or civic organization and make sure they have the proper photo ID.

Strategy Suggestion: Transportation

• Drive voters who need to get the proper ID to the DMV office. Wait with them and take notes about the process (length of time, the way employees treat them, any confusion about what documents are acceptable).

• Report any problems back to Democracy NC at 1-888-OUR-VOTE.

Who Doesn’t Need a Photo ID?

• Voters who qualify for curbside voting (must have difficulty standing in line or reaching the polling place due to age or physical disability).

• Voters who object to having a photo taken for religious reasons (must sign declaration before the election).

• Voters who vote by mail – “absentee voting”

Note: You will still have to show another kind of ID document.

HOW TO GET A FREE ID FOR VOTING

What Kind of ID Will I Need?

• NC driver’s license• NC identification card• US passport• US military ID• Veteran’s benefits card• Tribal enrollment card• No student IDs accepted

Expiration Date

• The ID must be current (not expired, revoked, or suspended) – with an exception for seniors.

• Military, veteran’s, or tribal IDs without an expiration date are good up to 8 years after a date showing when issued.

Seniors and Recent Transplants

• If any acceptable ID was current when the voter turned 70, it’s good for life.

• Out-of-state licenses may be used for 90 days after you register to vote in NC.

Name and Address

• The name on your ID doesn’t need to exactly match the name on your voter registration record, but be sure the names resemble each other. Your name on the voter registration roll can be easily changed; call your county elections board.

• The address on the ID doesn’t matter; the photo ID proves your identity, not your address.

Free IDs for Voting

• If you are a registered or an eligible voter without a current, acceptable photo ID, you can get a free ID from the DMV (normally $10)

• You’ll need to sign a sworn statement that you don’t have any of the acceptable IDs. Lying is a Class 1 felony.

• You can go to a DMV office in any county to apply for the no-fee ID.

What Documents Do I Need?

• 2 official documents with your full legal name; at least one must have your date of birth.

• 1 document with your residential address if neither identity document has your address.

• A valid Social Security number. If DMV can’t verify your SSN, you need a document with it, like one of the identity docs.

• If you have trouble getting 2 documents, bring what you have to the DMV.

Acceptable Documents:Name & DOB - 1

• ID or driver’s license from another state• Social Security card• Certified birth certificate• Certified marriage certificate• W-2 or 1099• Unexpired passport• Unexpired military ID, DD-2, DD-214,

military dependent card, or veteran’s card - continued next slide

Acceptable Documents: Name & DOB - 2

• US court document (divorce, adoption, child support, naturalization, change of name or gender, arrest, etc.)

• NC school record (transcript or registration signed by school official; GED or diploma)

• Motor vehicle record from NC or another state

• Limited driving privilege that is less than 1 year expired (related to a DWI conviction)

Acceptable Documents:NC Residency - 1

• Any government document (state, county, city, or federal)

• Car title or registration• Voter registration card• Military orders/documents• Utility or cable bill• Lease or mortgage statement

Acceptable Documents:NC Residency - 2

• Property or income tax statement• Preprinted financial statement• School records• Car insurance policy• Letter from homeless shelter• If you don’t have a document to prove your

NC residency, sign an affidavit at the DMV

HOW TO GET FREE MARRIAGE & BIRTH CERTIFICATES FOR VOTING

Free Birth & Marriage Certificates for Voting

• If you don’t have an acceptable photo ID, you can get a free certified copy of a NC birth or marriage certificate from your county Register of Deeds or the NC Office of Vital Records.

• You may get 1 free document; not both.• To get the document free, you must sign a

sworn statement saying you don’t have any of the acceptable IDs. Lying is a Class 1 felony.

How Do I Get One?

• Apply in person at the NC Vital Records Office

• Apply by mail through the NC Vital Records Office

• Apply in person at your county Register of Deeds

NC Vital Records Office• They have birth and marriage certificates

for every county – Birth certificates from 1913 on– Marriage certificates from 1962 on

• You can apply by mail (just enclose the documents)

• They allow “near family members” to apply• They’re often more flexible than county

Registers of Deeds

Who’s a “Near Family Member”?

• Current spouse• Siblings• Children, step-children, or

grandchildren• Parents, step-parents, or

grandparents

County Registers of Deeds

• Procedures vary from county to county• To get one of the free documents for

voting, you must go in person• If born before 1971, go to the Register of

Deeds in the county where you were born• If born after 1971, you should be able to

go to any Register of Deeds in the state (but call the office to double check)

County Registers of Deeds

• To get a free marriage certificate, you must go in person to the Register of Deeds in the county that issued your marriage license.

• If you have trouble with your local Register of Deeds, try the NC Vital Records Office instead.

Who Can Request It?

• NC Vital Records Office will allow a free birth or marriage certificate for voting to be requested by the voter, a near family member, or an authorized agent, attorney, or legal representative

• County Registers of Deeds may refuse to provide the free certificates to anyone but the voter him or herself

What Documents Will I Need?

• Required documents will vary depending on whether you request records through the state (Vital Records) or the county (Register of Deeds)– Contact your local Register of Deeds to

find out what documents they will accept– Contact NC Vital Records Office to find

out what documents they will accept

Proof of Voter Registration

• You’ll also need to provide proof of voter registration

• This can be your voter registration card, your online profile from the State Board of Elections website, or other proof from the county or State Board of Elections

• Local Registers of Deeds may have a preference; contact them to find out

What if I Wasn’t Born in NC?

• The rules and requirements around getting vital records (birth and marriage certificates) vary from state to state.

• This website will give you the contact information for the vital records office in the state where you were born (or married): www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm

No ID? Vote Absentee!

• If the process is too difficult or the voter wants another option, they can vote by mail using an absentee ballot.

• Any registered voter may vote by mail.• Applications for a mail-in absentee ballot

are on websites of boards of elections. Follow all the rules carefully.

For More Information

• NC Vital Records Office, vitalrecords.nc.gov, (919) 733-3000

• Find most Register of Deeds offices on the web using a search engine

• NC State Board of Elections, http://www.ncsbe.gov, (866) 522-4723

Questions? Problems?

Contact Democracy North Carolina and we’ll do our best to help you out!

(919) 286-6000 or

toll free (888) OUR-VOTE

info@democracy-nc.org

www.democracy-nc.org