WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A federal trial is scheduled to begin Monday, July 13, over North Carolina's restrictive voting law. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice are challenging provisions of the law that eliminate a week of early voting, end same-day registration, and prohibit the counting of out-of-precinct ballots. The case was brought on behalf of several clients, including the League of Women Voters of North Carolina.
The groups charge that enacting these provisions would unduly burden the right to vote and discriminate against African-American voters, in violation of the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act.
State lawmakers last month passed a bill that softened the law's stringent voter ID provision, and Gov. Pat McCrory signed the measure into law. In light of these developments, proceedings related to voter ID have been deferred, and it will not be part of the federal trial.
Background: North Carolina passed a restrictive voting law in August 2013. Representing the League of Women Voters and other civic engagement groups and individuals, the ACLU and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice challenged provisions of the law that eliminate a week of early voting, end same-day registration, and prohibit the counting of "out-of-precinct" ballots. Enacting these provisions would unduly burden the right to vote and discriminate against African-American voters, in violation of the U.S. Constitution's Equal Protection Clause and the Voting Rights Act.
North Carolinians use early voting in vast numbers. During the 2012 election, 2.5 million ballots were cast during the early voting period, representing more than half the total electorate. More than 70 percent of African-American voters utilized early voting during the 2008 and 2012 general elections. Eliminating same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting also imposes hardship and silences the people’s voice.
In recent elections, North Carolinians could register or update their registration information and vote in one trip to an early voting site. In both 2008 and 2012, approximately 250,000 people did so. African-Americans disproportionately relied on same-day registration in both elections. The law eliminates this opportunity to register, effectively disenfranchising thousands.
More information about this case, League of Women Voters of North Carolina et al. v. North Carolina, is at: https://www.aclu.org/voting-rights/league-women-voters-north-carolina-et-al-v-north-carolina