Democracy depends on the idea of “one person, one vote.” The ballot box is the one place that all of us, regardless of our age, race, gender, income or background are equal. Democracy North Carolina works to make sure our elections are fair and accessible to all eligible voters.
When elections are fair, voters are respected and every legitimate vote is counted. The United States has made great strides in voting rights over the last century. Unfortunately, some voters are still misled, become confused, or get turned away at the polls. Sometimes the cause is a lack of good information; sometimes political groups or politicians purposefully deceive people they don’t want to vote – it has happened in North Carolina.
Voter Photo ID
In August 2013, Governor Pat McCrory signed HB-589 into law, a far-reaching elections bill which puts in place one of the most restrictive Voter Photo ID laws in the nation, shortens Early Voting and ends Same Day Voter Registration and other election reforms that have increased voter participation in the state. See a summary of the bill.
To learn more, you can read this Op-Ed by Executive Director Bob Hall about why the law should be challenged. History shows us that voting matters and those who seize the moment can shape our democracy for generations to come. Help us protect voting rights in North Carolina!
How You Can Help
- Stay informed. Here’s a break-down of who doesn’t have photo ID in North Carolina.
- Stay vigilant! Sign up for updates on voter ID and other anti-voting bills.
- Watch our voting rights video, “Forward Together, Not One Step Back” and share it with others.
- Read more about voter ID and other anti-voting laws in these reports from the Brennan Center for Justice
Your voting rights
Click here for a one-page list of your basic voting rights in NC. For example, if you vote with a paper ballot and mark it wrong, you can return it to the election official and receive a new ballot. (Print out this Voting Rights page and take it with you when you vote.)