Making Voter Registration Easy and Friendly

Duke Votes will promote voter registration and education

Three students bend down to pet a yellow lab puppy wearing a yellow vest, while one student holds the leash. Behind the students is an arch made of blue and white balloons and silver balloons spelling "Vote"
Duke puppy kindergarten dog encourages students to vote at a campus voter registration drive during Democracy Day in the spring of 2024.

The Nov. 5 General Election is right around the corner, and Tuesday, Sept. 17, is National Voter Registration Day.  Duke Votes will mark the day by providing multiple opportunities across the campus for people to register to vote. Individuals can check their voter registration status in North Carolina through the State Board of Elections.

Voter registration tables will be available on Bryan Center Plaza on West Campus from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Marketplace on East Campus from 6-8 p.m. Duke University Union will provide plush bears with “I Voted” t-shirts on the BC Plaza from 1-2 p.m. From 6 to 8 p.m., Duke Arts is hosting a “Screen Printing: Promote the Vote” workshop.

A hand holds a blade covered in bright blue paint, that has been dragged over a screen with the text, "Democracy Day" a star and then "2024"
Screen printing during Democracy Day in the spring of 2024

Participants will learn how to screen print a voting advocacy poster and Duke Votes will be present to provide voter registration materials. Additional opportunities to register to vote across campus this election season can be found on the Duke Votes website, along with information about registering and voting in another state.

The voter registration deadline to vote in person on Election Day is Friday, October 11. If you miss an opportunity to register to vote before the deadline, you can still register to vote at same-day polling locations during the early voting period.

Duke University will have an early voting location for Durham County voters on campus at Karsh Alumni and Visitors Center from Thursday, Oct. 17, through Saturday, Nov. 2. On Election Day, Karsh is not a polling location, and voters must cast a ballot at their assigned polling place.

Approved Voter IDs

Before heading to the polls, make sure you have an acceptable form of photo ID. The university has taken several steps to ensure Duke students have access to use an approved Duke ID card for voting.

  • Duke University’s physical DukeCard and Duke Student Voter ID Card are approved by the NC State Board of Elections as a valid form of identification for students who are eligible to vote. However, the mobile DukeCard has not been approved 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 in August 2024 will be an ID-only version with an expiration date and will not contain funds or access to facilities. Identification cards will be provided to students for free.
  • Undergraduate students who never received a physical DukeCard (Class of 2027) will be provided a card and 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, and students are required to show a government-issued ID when picking up their card.

Make your voice heard this election season. Visit the Duke Votes website for additional voter registration resources, voting dates and deadlines, voter ID information, and more!

Students walk along Brodhead Plaza smiling and talking while holding tote bags with a red "Vote" message.
National Voter Registration Day, like Democracy Day held in the spring and fall, helps engage students in the democratic process.