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For immediate release.
June 23, 2011
Contact: Bryan Warner, N.C. Center for Voter Education, 877-258-6837 or

NCCVE Supports Veto of Voter Photo ID Bill

RALEIGH - North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue today vetoed House Bill 351, which would have required state voters to present a government-issued photo ID when casting a ballot in person.

Data from the State Board of Elections shows that this requirement could have forced thousands of lawful North Carolina voters to obtain a state-issued photo ID card, costing taxpayers $1.4 million next year alone.

At the same time, investigations by the State Board of Elections have found voter fraud to be extremely rare in North Carolina. For instance, Wake County saw 280,000 ballots cast in 2010. That same year, the county board of elections identified just six cases of potential voter fraud, none of which were found to be actual cases of fraud.

"We commend Gov. Perdue for vetoing this ill-conceived photo ID requirement," said Damon Circosta, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education. "The measure would have placed undue burdens on law-abiding citizens, making it harder for thousands of qualified voters to cast a ballot, without making our election system any more secure."

"The current protections in place already have sensible voter identification requirements and promise tough, felony-level penalties for voter fraud," Circosta added. "These laws have been extremely effective in protecting the integrity of our election system against fraud, while ensuring that voting is fair and accessible for all citizens."

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Founded in 1999, the N.C. Center for Voter Education is a Raleigh-based nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, dedicated to helping citizens more fully participate in democracy.