WCU VOTES

Anyone who is eligible to vote should be allowed to vote, but sometimes the system can be confusing if you're not careful. Here are a few helpful tips when registering to vote at WCU:

• Online Registration: If you have a valid North Carolina ID and know your social security number you can vote online! Just follow the six steps below.
  1. Visit https://payments.ncdot.gov/
  2. Click "Continue to myNCDMV Services"
  3. Select "Continue as a guest"
  4. Click "Submit a voter registration application"
  5. Enter your NC Driver License or DMV-issued ID Card number, Social Security number (SSN), & date of birth
  6. You can register to vote, update your address, & change party affiliation
• Paper Registration:

  WCU has partnered with Turbovote to help streamline to registration process! You can fill out your paper registration online and then either print it out our have it mailed to you for a final signature. Click here to start your paper application.

• Once you have received your paper voter registration application, and signed and dated it, you have a few options. You can mail the application into the county Board of Elections, you can take it to the Board of Elections in person, or you can come by the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning in Belk 273 and we will be happy to turn it in for you. 

  The address for the Jackson County Board of Elections is:

876 Skyland Drive Suite 1
Sylva, NC 28779

Additional tips and resources:

• Not sure what address to enter on your voter registration form? Click the following PDF to find the 911 address for your residence hall or apartment.

  Updated 911 Addresses 2020

• If you have registered previously, but have since moved or changed dorms, it is important to update your address. If you have changed counties, you will need to re-register. If you have moved but still reside in the same county, you can either re-register to update your address, or you can call the local Board of Elections and they will be able to assist you.

• If you live off campus, for your residential address you will put your current WCU address. Your mailing address is wherever you receive your mail.

• Even if you mark unaffiliated, it is important to choose a political affiliation.

• If you are utilizing the service TurboVote to register, you can either print your filled out voter registration application, or you can have it mailed to you.

If you are NOT registered to vote and you live in Jackson County (including on-campus residence halls) you will be able to register and vote on campus at the same time during the dates of early voting – it is called same day voter registration and it ROCKS!

The Student Democracy Coalition is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to increasing civic engagement on our campus. We are focused on voting rights and educating our student body on political topics and issues.

Contact Amanda Hanson ahanson@wcu.edu or Lane Perry laneperry@wcu.edu to learn how you can get involved!

Early Voting: WCU has a polling place on campus for early voting! Check back later for it's location this Fall.

Nov. 3 Polling Place:
Cullowhee Recreation Center
88 Cullowhee Mountain Rd
Cullowhee, NC 28723

As of November 26, 2020, WCU student IDs meet the NC State Board of Elections voter ID requirements. 

On that date, the State Board of Elections approved the CatCard for voting in the state of North Carolina under N.C.G.S. § 163-166.16(a) for the primaries and general election to be held in 2020. Western Carolina University has made several changes to the CatCard to meet the specified criteria, including adding an expiration date to new cards to be used as voter IDs.
On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, the federal district court issued an order and preliminary injunction of the photo ID requirement added by Session Law 2018-144 (SB824). As such, the North Carolina State Board of Elections has requested that the following information be shared with students:

“Voters will not be required to show photo ID for the 2020 primary election. In a December 31 order, a federal district court blocked North Carolina’s voter photo ID requirement from taking effect. The injunction will remain in place until further order of the court.  For more information visit the State Board of Elections website: www.ncsbe.gov.”

We will update the CatCard website and share more information as it becomes available. Campus Services and the CatCard Office remain committed to providing a voter ID compliant CatCard should it be required in future elections.

Check back soon for updates!

WCU Programs (Democracy 100%)

Events TBA

Absentee Ballot Information

* While the ON-CAMPUS POLLING PLACE is open, the UC will be a NO CAMPAIGN ZONE.

As the University Center is home to an early voting site, it is important that all people who enter adhere to this rules and expectations:

• No campaigning within 25 ft. of the UC;
• No partisan literature in the UC;
• No partisan posters or events in the UC;
• No handing out partisan pamphlets;
• No partisan events/posters inside the UC;
• No going table-to-table encouraging people to vote for a particular candidate within the UC.