The State Board of Elections has told county boards to stop issuing voter ID cards immediately.
This comes after a federal judge issued an order blocking North Carolina's requirement that voters show photo ID from taking effect for the upcoming primaries.
The state board is working with local election officials to make sure voters are informed, according to Spokesman Patrick Gannon.
“We've asked them to share our social media posts,” he said. “We've been posting this on social media, in as many ways as possible.”
Gannon said now efforts are focused on telling voters that they do not need photo IDs to vote in March.
“We are creating signage to put both at the county board of elections offices as well as at every early voting site, every polling place,” he said. “We're doing everything we can.”
The state board is encouraging counties not order any more ID-making equipment, but to keep what they already have, just in case. The state Attorney General's Office is planning to appeal, but isn't going to push for a new ruling before the primaries.
Absentee by-mail ballots are scheduled to go out next week. The primary election is March 3rd.
Copyright 2020 North Carolina Public Radio