A federal appeals court today ordered a lower court to block two new voting restrictions in North Carolina, saying there was "no doubt" the measure would disenfranchise minorities.
North Carolina will now be required to reinstate same-day voter registration, as well as allow voters to cast ballots even if they show up to vote in the wrong precinct.
In a two-to-one ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that "whether the number is thirty or thirty-thousand, surely some North Carolina minority voters will be disproportionately adversely affected in the upcoming election" and that it was important to act now, since "there could be no-do-over and no redress" once the election was over.
Gov. Pat McCrory (R) signed House Bill 589 into law in August 2013.
The court did, however, affirm the lower court's decision to allow North Carolina to reduce the number of early-voting days, expand the basis for voter challengers, and enact several other new restrictions.
The full voter ID part of the law is not set to take effect until 2016.
UPDATE
Same-day registration won't be allowed during early voting in North Carolina and Election Day ballots cast in the wrong precinct won't be counted this fall after the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a ruling that set aside part of a 2013 election law.
A majority on the nation's highest court agreed Wednesday to halt the ruling of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Two justices dissented.
The decision means the full law will remain enforced while the state and civil rights groups that challenged it prepare for trial next summer.
So there will be no same-day registration during early voting when it begins Oct. 23.
The full law was enforced during the May primary as well.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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3 comments:
weather or whether?
weather or whether?
Thanks for the spelling correction. Glad someone actually reads what I write.
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