Senate Bill 595 Summary

• Requires all voters voting in person to present photo identification before voting, with acceptable forms including North Carolina driver's licenses, valid passports, military IDs, tribal IDs, and government employee IDs.

• Allows voters unable to produce required identification to cast a provisional ballot that is counted only if proper identification can be verified before the county board of elections canvass.

• Establishes a North Carolina voter identification card program available at no cost to registered voters without valid photo identification, with cards containing the voter's photograph, name, address, birth date, and physical characteristics.

• Requires the State Board of Elections to conduct a voter education program on voting procedures and proper identification requirements for both absentee and polling place voting.

• Provides for fee-free special identification cards from the Division of Motor Vehicles for registered voters lacking proper voting identification, in addition to existing fee-waiver categories.