Photo by Ben Haines.
Will WCU Cat Cards be an acceptable form of ID for students in the upcoming 2020 elections?
Currently, that answer remains unsure.
In light of North Carolina’s voter ID law, universities have had to submit their materials regarding student IDs to the State Board of Elections in order to have them approved for the upcoming elections.
However, only a limited list of universities has had IDs approved for students so far, and WCU is not one of them. These universities include UNC Asheville, Warren Wilson College, Mars Hill University, Brevard College and 39 more. For a full list of approved student IDs, click here.
In March of 2019, universities initially submitted their materials to the State Board of Elections. While all 17 UNC institutions applied for approval, only five were approved. WCU was rejected.
However, institutions that have submitted their materials and were rejected have a second chance. Institutions had until Nov. 15 to submit a revised application for approval.
Director of the Center for Service Learning. Photo by WCU
According to Dr. Lane Perry, the executive director of the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning, WCU is on the right track to having student IDs approved.
“Our Legal Counsel and Chief of Staff Offices have been leading the charge on our follow-up application. They have been diligent in their follow up and submitted our materials two weeks ago,” Perry said.
Based on the timeline presented by the State Board of Elections, they must approve of the initially disapproved IDs no later than Dec. 1 in order for them to be viable for the upcoming 2020 elections.
Based on the materials that WCU sent in for approval, students shouldn’t expect any big changes coming to the Cat Card process.
According to Shea Browning, WCU’s general counsel, there will only be one additional step.
“Students have, over the last several years, uploaded the photo that then would appear on their Cat Card. The Cat Card was then given to the student at orientation,” Browning said. “In the future, the student will continue to upload their photo; however, a university employee will visually and in person compare the photograph on the student’s Cat Card to the student and will ensure that they are one and the same.”
In addition to the extra step in the Cat Card process, Browning says that Cat Cards in the future will also have a “slightly different design.”
WCU’s proposed process is similar to processes submitted by UNC- Chapel Hill and UNC- Wilmington. Both will allow students to still upload their own photos; however, a university official will examine the photo to ensure the physical appearance matches the photo. Both universities are also waiting for approval.
If WCU’s application is approved, what does this mean for student voters?
According to Perry, it makes voting more accessible to our students.
“By having access to an on-campus polling location and a WCU Cat Card student ID, we position our students who live on or near campus in a place that makes voting more accessible to them then if there was not a polling place or if their WCU Cat Card student ID did not work,” Perry said.
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