The Student Government Association passed a bill urging Chancellor Sheri Everts to sign the North Carolina State Board of Elections Student Identification Attestation Form on or before the date given by the State Board of Elections, which is March 13.

The AppCard Voting Identification Act “fully endorses the use of AppCards as voting identification.”

If the March 13 deadline passes without Everts signing the attestation form, App State students cannot use AppCards as a voter ID in the 2020 election.

Megan Hayes, chief communications officer, wrote in an email that as of Feb. 22, the State Board of Elections had not provided an attestation form to App State.

The form states, under penalty of perjury, that AppCards meet eligibility requirements to count as a voter ID.

Some of the eligibility requirements for a student ID card include:

• An expiration date beginning January 2021.

• A photograph of the student taken by the university or its contractors.

• Equipment for creating the cards kept in a secure location.

“I personally think that Sheri Everts will sign this form because it’s what’s right for students and I believe that she’ll do what is right for students,” sponsor of the bill and freshman political science major Emily Hogan said.

A survey of 728 constituents contacted by senators found that 79.1 percent answered “Yes” to “Would you use your AppCard as your ID to vote if eligible?”

Rep. Ray Russell, former computer science professor and representative for the 93rd District, is co-sponsoring a bill to extend the March 13 deadline for universities.

WRAL reported on Feb. 25 that none of the state’s public universities have completed the form.

Voters passed a constitutional amendment in November requiring voters to show an ID to vote.

Student ID cards from UNC System schools, community colleges or  private universities are accepted forms of voter ID if they meet the requirements.

Everts sent out an email to students on Feb. 22 explaining that many staff members are working to ensure students have legally recognized identification to vote.

“I have engaged in many discussions—with legal counsel, members of the Student Government Association, faculty, staff and my colleagues in the system—about the legal aspects and responsibilities presented by this law,” Everts wrote.

Everts also wrote that she is working with the county and state board of elections so students can “assert their legal right to vote.”

The full AppCard Voting Identification Act can be found on the SGA website.