RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s photo voter identification law was upheld by U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs on Thursday, discarding arguments from civil rights groups that it was instituted with discriminatory intent against Black and Latino voters. The decision represents a vital legal victory for Republican legislators who enacted the law in late 2018, shortly after a statewide vote backed the measure.
State Senate leader Phil Berger remarked that this decision puts to rest doubts regarding the law's constitutionality. Civil rights advocates, including officials from the NAACP, argued that the ID requirement violates constitutional rights and disproportionately impacts voters historically aligned with Democrats.
In her ruling, Judge Biggs suggested that while obtaining IDs may indeed pose a greater burden on Black and Hispanic voters, controlling case law dictated a presumption of good faith regarding the law's enactment. This ruling comes despite evidence that the law could disenfranchise racial minorities during elections.
The law is among the most lenient in the nation in terms of acceptable forms of identification, with various categories outlined to facilitate voter participation. This framework aims to enhance voter confidence and prevent rare instances of voter fraud, although concerns surrounding actual disenfranchisement were raised by the NAACP. The group has stated it would consider whether to appeal the ruling while highlighting the barriers that such laws create for vulnerable voting populations.
The law has been in practice since municipal elections earlier this year. With free ID cards available at state offices, voters without IDs can ensure their votes are counted by meeting specific requirements before election day. As legal battles continue, the governance of voter ID laws will remain a contentious issue both in North Carolina and across the United States.
State Senate leader Phil Berger remarked that this decision puts to rest doubts regarding the law's constitutionality. Civil rights advocates, including officials from the NAACP, argued that the ID requirement violates constitutional rights and disproportionately impacts voters historically aligned with Democrats.
In her ruling, Judge Biggs suggested that while obtaining IDs may indeed pose a greater burden on Black and Hispanic voters, controlling case law dictated a presumption of good faith regarding the law's enactment. This ruling comes despite evidence that the law could disenfranchise racial minorities during elections.
The law is among the most lenient in the nation in terms of acceptable forms of identification, with various categories outlined to facilitate voter participation. This framework aims to enhance voter confidence and prevent rare instances of voter fraud, although concerns surrounding actual disenfranchisement were raised by the NAACP. The group has stated it would consider whether to appeal the ruling while highlighting the barriers that such laws create for vulnerable voting populations.
The law has been in practice since municipal elections earlier this year. With free ID cards available at state offices, voters without IDs can ensure their votes are counted by meeting specific requirements before election day. As legal battles continue, the governance of voter ID laws will remain a contentious issue both in North Carolina and across the United States.
