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Raleigh, North Carolina (AP) — A minority of North Carolina judges broke the state’s latest photo voter identification law on Friday, breaking rules contaminated with racial prejudice as a way for Republicans to maintain power. I agreed with the voters of the faction.
Two of the three judges said the December 2018 law was designed to enforce the photo voter ID obligations added to the North Carolina Constitution in a referendum just a few weeks ago. Nevertheless, he declared it unconstitutional. They said the law deliberately discriminated against black voters and violated their equal protection.
The law was “at least partially motivated by unconstitutional intent to target African-American voters,” said Judges Michael Ofogurda and Vince Rozier of the High Court on a large number of 100 pages. I wrote it in my opinion.
“Other, less restrictive voter ID legislation is sufficient to achieve the legitimate non-racial objectives of implementing constitutional amendments requiring voter IDs, stopping fraud, or increasing voter credibility. It was. “
Subsequent majority decision 3-week trial In April, it is likely that he will head to the State Court of Appeals, which had previously blocked law enforcement last year, while the case is being heard. In this ruling, the law remains unenforceable.
Filed a similar proceeding in federal court Set to go to trial Proceedings in another state court from January this year Appeal nowIt is unlikely that voter IDs will require direct and absentee ballots in the 2022 elections.
Plaintiffs’ chief attorney, Allison Riggs, said the ruling “cannot deny how the state Republican-controlled legislature implemented the legislature to maintain its power over voters. “.
Republican legislative leader spokespersons Tim Moore and Phil Berger did not immediately respond to email requests for comment.
Republican legislative leaders have been trying for 10 years to request photo ID to cast ballots.
The Republican Party said voter ID legislation is needed to build public confidence in elections and prevent nationally rare voter fraud. However, many Democrats view delegation as an attempt to suppress voters.
July 2016, Federal Court of Appeals Overthrown Some parts of the 2013 North Carolina Election Act, including voter ID obligations, saying Republicans wrote them with “almost surgical precision” to discourage voting by black voters who tend to support the Democratic Party. ..
Voter lawyers suing the 2018 law are the same as the 2013 law as a result of long efforts by elected North Carolina officials to weaken African-American votes as a way to maintain control of the General Assembly. He said he suffered from racial deficiencies. The 2013 law was easily enforced in the 2016 primary.
Opposed by Republican legislative leaders and their lawyers, the latest identity rules have been approved with substantial Democratic support and improved to maintain access to ballots while allowing only statutory citizens to vote. Said that.
The category of eligible IDs has been significantly expanded compared to the 2013 law to include IDs for college students and government employees. Free IDs are also available from the County Election Commission or early voting sites. Even if you don’t have an ID, you can vote by filling out the voting district form.
In disagreement, Judge Nathaniel Pooby wrote that the voter ID law was in line with the State Constitution, citing support from some black lawmakers and citizens voting in the referendum.
“Evidence of the previous capabilities of the panel of these three judges does not suggest that our Congress enacted this law with racist intent,” Poovey wrote.
However, the majority of the panel determined that the change did not completely eliminate racial prejudice and permanently prevented the enforcement of the ID Act.
According to the National Assembly of State Parliament, about 30 states have legislation that requires or requires voters to show some form of ID, and about half of these states only have photo ID. I’m looking for.
The provisions contained in a drastic review of federal elections promoted by Congressional Democrats this year will enable state voter ID legislation by allowing non-ID people to vote on forms instead. Will be disabled.
6 voters — 5 blacks and 1 interracial — Proceeded in Wake County The court on the same day that Republicans overturned Democratic Governor Roy Cooper’s veto on the 2018 voter ID bill.
During the trial, some plaintiffs testified that it would be difficult to obtain and vote for identification when the previous Photographic Identification Act was in force.
Republican lawyers said all voters could continue to vote under the 2018 law.
Plaintiffs’ proceedings emphasized analysis by a professor at the University of Michigan, saying that black voters were 39% more likely to lack qualified photo ID than white registered voters. However, the analysis excluded data for some categories of eligible identities.
Changes to these and other voting procedures in North Carolina once required federal prior approval. However, the 2013 US Supreme Court ruling meant that such “advance permission” measures were no longer needed. The legislature approved the 2013 Voter ID Act just weeks after the ruling.
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