This is to clear up mis-information that went out over the airwaves last week. It arose because of the confusion a voter experienced when voting early. The voter thought that the address on a person’s ID had to match the address they give to the poll worker. This is not true.
The voter ID that a person shows is only to identify from the picture that the person present to vote is the person in the picture. Nothing else is used from the ID. After that, the poll worker asks your name and address. Then you sign the form which is an affidavit stating that you are telling the truth. That is not new. It has been the law for years, as long as I can remember and I am 84.
The commentator said your ID address and what you tell the poll worker have to be the same. That is not true. They do not have to match. Of course, your ID has to be one of the acceptable ID’s – driver’s license, learner’s permit, NC Identification card, passport, military or veteran’s ID in order to vote. An interesting note is that because of the lawsuit, the legislature changed the ID law so that you now can claim you had an impediment to getting an ID and do not have one to show, at which point you sign an affidavit and vote a provisional ballot which is counted days after the election when they open the provisional ballots.
Another wrinkle is that if you are over 70 years old, you can use an old driver’s license if you are no longer driving. If the license was valid when you turned 70, you can use it to vote for life.
Why so much confusion? Because there are so many law changes and the poll workers, while trained, are all volunteers and this is a lot to take in. But when in doubt, call the Board of Elections– they are professionals and do an excellent job of giving out information to voters. Their number is (919) 245-2350. They are pleasant and helpful. In fact, if you are trying to vote and have a question, call them right then and there.
But as our commentators have said, whatever you do, VOTE.
— Ellie Kinnaird
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