Charlotte voters in the LGBTQ+ community will have an opportunity Oct. 7 to learn about voter identification and voting rights at “TRANSform the Vote,” scheduled for the Arts Factory at 1545 W. Trade St.
The event is being organized with participation from SONG Power, State of Emergency and (TRANS) parent Magazine.
ABOUT VOTING
North Carolina requires voters appearing in person to present an acceptable photo ID, but state election officials say the law does not require the identification to contain a gender marker. The North Carolina State Board of Elections lists a state-issued voter photo ID card among acceptable forms of identification. The card is available free to registered voters through their county board of elections.
The State Board also specifically says that when election officials evaluate identification, a voter’s gender presentation cannot be used as a reason to reject an otherwise qualifying photo ID. Officials instead examine whether the photograph reasonably resembles the voter and whether the name is the same as, or substantially equivalent to, the name in the registration record.
That distinction can be significant for transgender and nonbinary voters whose appearance, name or documents may not always correspond and advocates for trans equality confirm discrepancies involving names and gender markers as potential obstacles for transgender voters.
“Unfortunately, a lot of individuals in the trans and nonbinary community just don’t want to deal with the hassle that can arise when their ID has a picture and name that doesn’t exactly correspond with who they are in the here and now,” says prominent Charlotte based organizer and activist Jermaine Nakia Lee, who is also affiliated with all of the organizations mentioned in this article. “We felt it was important to provide a platform to bring people together, show them how to navigate the challenges and remind them how important their votes are.”
ABOUT THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
State of Emergency, a Charlotte-based program of Lionel Lee Jr. Center for Wellness, was created by and for Black transgender women. It operates an emergency assistance fund, peer navigation services and publishes (TRANS) parent Magazine
SONG Power is a Political Action Committee and the political arm of Southerners on New Ground. Their 2026 North Carolina work includes voter engagement and education, particularly among queer and transgender voters.
(TRANS) parent Magazine, a literary extension of State of Emergency, is the only print and digital publication in the United States aimed specifically at BTW (Black Trans Women).
ALL VOTERS WILL BE ALLOWED TO VOTE
For voters who arrive without acceptable identification, the State Board says they can still vote provisionally by completing a Photo ID Exception Form or by presenting qualifying identification later under the state’s procedures.
NEED TRANSPORTATION?
SONG Power confirms they’ll cover the round-trip cost to get you from the Arts Factory on West Trade St. and to the Board of Elections (BOE) office in addition to helping you get a voter ID that captures you just as you are, no gender marker necessary. As well, they’re providing lunch! To sign up, go to https://forms.gle/2Tog4SzBTmCaHG5a9.
This story is brought to you by Rosedale Health and Wellness and Dudley’s Place.
