As election season heats up, WRAL’s 5 On Your Side is diving into viewers' concerns and complaints about voting issues. Among the dozens of messages received this month was one from a Wake County voter who contacted 5 On Your Side after being turned away at a local polling site.
Nicholas Snell, a Zebulon resident, headed to an early voting location on Dogwood Drive but realized he had left his wallet, and consequently his photo ID, at home. Snell expected he could still vote through a provisional ballot, as outlined in North Carolina's voter ID guidelines. However, he says election workers told him otherwise.
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“It kind of left a bad taste in my mouth; it didn’t seem right,” Snell told WRAL 5 On Your Side. He recalled asking about his options but says he was simply told, “You have to have an ID.”
State law allows for dozens of acceptable forms of identification, and offers alternative methods for voters without ID, including provisional ballots and an ID Exception Form, both of which must be counted if completed properly.
WRAL’s State Government Reporter Will Doran confirmed that voters without ID should not be turned away, noting, “If someone is telling you to leave because you don’t have an ID, they’re wrong. That’s not what state law says.”
WRAL reached out to the Wake County Board of Elections regarding Snell’s case. While they declined to comment on specific incidents, Elections Director Olivia McCall reiterated that voters lacking ID can use an ID Exception Form at the help table in every polling location.
After returning home to retrieve his ID, Snell successfully voted, yet remains concerned for others who may face similar issues.
“I don’t care who they vote for, but if you have the right to vote, you should be able to,” he said.
If faced with issues or misinformation at the polls, voters can request assistance from the Chief Judge present at each voting site.
If you had an unusual experience at a voting location we want to hear about it. Email: voterfeedback@jshu.net.