Appalachian State University is exploring the possibility of making its campus cards compliant with voter ID requirements in the state of North Carolina. This comes ahead of 2023 municipal elections in the state for which registered voters in North Carolina will be required to present a valid form of photo identification to vote.

According to a report from the Watauga Democrat, student ID cards issued by a North Carolina educational institution, public or private, are considered valid forms of photo ID for voting when approved by the State Board. Also pursuing voter ID compliant campus cards is nearby Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute in Hudson, NC.

App State's AppCard currently lacks the mandatory printed expiration date, which is required by the State Board of Elections in order to be accepted as a valid form of identification at the polls. The expiration date is required for ID cards issued on or after January 1, 2021 to be approved as valid photo IDs for voting.

The university is now exploring options for providing compliant AppCards for students and employees who wish to use their campus card for voter identification.

Any ID cards approved by the State Board in 2023 will remain a valid form of voter identification through December 31, 2024.

In order to receive approval in time for the 2023 municipal elections, an institution must provide a signed Student or Employee Identification Approval Form, along with a digital image of the ID card to the State Board on or before June 28, 2023. Public institutions that issue separate credentials for students and staff can  gain approval for multiple credentials but must submit separate approval forms for each.

The Board of Elections will review new ID submissions and publish its list of approved credentials in July 2023. North Carolina municipal elections will be held in September, October and November.