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For immediate release.
Mar. 15, 2011
Contact: Bryan Warner, N.C. Center for Voter Education, 877-258-6837

Photo ID Bill Shortchanges Voter Education, Raids Public Financing

RALEIGH – On Monday night, House Bill 351 (“Restore Confidence in Government”) was introduced in the N.C. General Assembly. Among several provisions, the measure would require North Carolina voters to show a state-issued photo ID when casting a ballot.

The legislation designates $600,000 for implementation and informing voters about the changes, an investment of just 10 cents per each of the state’s 6 million voters. In order to partially pay for the new provisions, the bill would take money from the state’s public campaign financing programs.

The following statement is from Damon Circosta, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education:

“We have serious reservations about the burdens that a photo ID requirement might place on thousands of North Carolina voters -- especially older citizens, students and the disabled.

“If passed, this bill would impose the most drastic changes to our state’s voting laws in decades. When McDonald’s changes its menu, it spends millions of dollars in this state alone to raise public awareness. Given that our democracy is exponentially more important than fast food, it is imperative that the state designate sufficient funds to ensure that all voters are fully aware of whatever requirements are placed upon them in order to participate in their democracy.

“Yet, the current bill not only shortchanges voter education but would do profound damage to the integrity of North Carolina’s elections by siphoning away funds from the state’s public campaign financing programs.

“It is ironic that the bill is entitled ‘Restore Confidence in Government,’ yet it would raid the very public financing programs that are designed to address one of the leading issues -- special interest cash in elections -- that causes voters to lose faith in the election system. Indeed, a poll commissioned in February by the N.C. Center for Voter Education finds that 94 percent of North Carolina voters believe campaign contributions influence a judge’s ruling.

“If lawmakers are determined to make such dramatic alterations to our election system in the form of requiring a photo ID to vote, they should devote the appropriate amount of resources to ensure voters are fully informed of these serious changes. And those funds should not come at the cost of our state’s vital public financing programs, which are proven to combat the potential corruption that is of chief concern to voters.”

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The N.C. Center for Voter Education is a Raleigh-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, dedicated to helping citizens fully participate in democracy.