North Carolina voters are required to provide photo identification when voting in person or by absentee ballot. The DukeCard Office, in partnership with Duke Votes, will assist eligible students with obtaining a state-approved physical identification card to vote in the upcoming November Election.
Duke University’s physical DukeCard and Duke Student Voter ID Card were approved by the NC State Board of Elections as a valid form of identification for students when voting. The Mobile DukeCard has not been approved by the State Board of Elections as a valid form of photo identification.
Older physical DukeCards in circulation without an expiration date can still be used as an acceptable form of ID for voting. (see here for guidance from the State Board of Elections). DukeCards that are printed beginning August 2024 will be an ID-only version with an expiration date and will not contain funds or access to facilities. These cards cannot be used in place of the Mobile DukeCard.
Identification cards will be provided to students for free. Undergraduate students who never received a physical DukeCard (Class of 2027) will soon receive information on how to obtain it. Graduate and professional students needing an identification card to vote, or other undergraduate students who need a replacement card can make an appointment to pick one up at the DukeCard office. Picking up a card will take less than five minutes. Students are required to show a government-issued ID when picking up their card.
More information on North Carolina's voter ID requirement can be found on this infosheet or on the NC State Board of Elections website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make an appointment to pick up your card at the DukeCard Office.
You do not need to submit a new photo for your Duke Student Voter ID card. Your Duke Student Voter ID card will display the same picture used on your DukeCard. You must have a photo in the DukeCard system to obtain a Duke Student Voter ID card.
Make an appointment to pick up your card at the DukeCard Office.
You must bring a government-issued ID for card pickup. Any of the following that is unexpired, or expired for one year or less are acceptable forms of ID:
- North Carolina driver’s license
- State ID from the NCDMV for NC residents (also called “non-operator ID”)
- Driver’s license or non-driver ID from another state, District of Columbia or U.S. territory (only if voter registered in North Carolina within 90 days of the election)
- U.S. Passport or U.S. Passport card
- North Carolina voter photo ID card issued by a county board of elections
- College or university student ID approved by the State Board of Elections
- State or local government or charter school employee ID approved by the State Board of Elections
Any of the following, regardless of whether the ID contains an expiration or issuance date:
- Military or veterans ID card issued by the U.S. government
- Tribal enrollment card issued by a tribe recognized by the State or federal government
- ID card issued by an agency of the U.S. government or the State of North Carolina for a public assistance program
The DukeCard Office is located on campus at 012 Telecom Drive, Durham, NC 27708 (rear entrance of the Telecom building under the blue awning off Research Drive). The DukeCard Office is open from 9am-5pm. Make an appointment here.
Beginning August 2024, physical DukeCards that are distributed will contain an expiration date consistent with a student's expected graduation date. The Duke Student Voter ID card also contains an expiration date. Older DukeCards in circulation without an expiration date can still be used as a form of ID at the polls. See here for additional guidance from the State Board of Elections.
No. The DukeCard and Duke Student Voter ID Card were only approved for students.
Yes. Voters who vote by mail must include a photocopy of an acceptable ID inside the "photo ID envelope" that comes with their ballot.
You may proceed in one of the following ways:
- Vote with an ID Exception Form and a provisional ballot, or
- Vote with a provisional ballot and return to their county board of elections office with their photo ID by the day before county canvass. (For municipal elections in September and October, this deadline is the Monday following Election Day. For all other elections, the deadline is the second Thursday following Election Day.)
North Carolina State Board of Elections Resources
- Infosheet: Voting as a College Student in NC
- Infosheet: NC Voter Photo ID Requirement
- North Carolina Voter ID Requirements
- Student & Public Employee IDs Approved for Voting
- Free photo ID card from county boards of elections for registered NC voters
- 10 Facts About NC’s Photo ID Requirement for Voting
- FAQ: Voter ID