Federal Court Judges Overturn NC Voter ID Law
CHARLOTTE, N.C.– After a long battle, the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the States Voter ID law and says it was enacted “With discriminatory intent.”
NowΒ voters will be able to cast their ballots this November without using a photo ID.
“This is a fundamental victory for voting rights,” says Mujtaba Mohammed, 3rd Vice Chair with the Mecklenburg Democratic Party.
The Democratic party says theΒ law hurt low income, elderly and African Americans who have a hard time getting identification.
“Single moms, it’s difficult for them to go out take time out of their day. Childcare issues, all sorts of stuff need to get an I-d, and the elderly folks they are not driving,” says Mohammed.
But not everyone agrees.
“That means that anyone can pose to be somebody else and therefore vote,” says Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, Matthew Ridenhour.
And says it prevented voter fraud
“We see itΒ all the time where people will vote twice or somebody deceased years prior suddenly shows up and votes,” says Ridenhour.
Democratic party saying the court couldn’t find any cases to support that claim.
“The court of appeals pointed out the State couldn’t even show 1 legitimate charge,” says Mohammed.
Governor Pat McCrory releasing this statement:
“Photo IDs are required to purchase Sudafed, cash a check, board an airplane or enter a federal court room.
Yet, three democratic judges are undermining the integrity of our elections while also maligning our State.”
“I wouldn’t equate it to buying cigarettes, right, you’re going tin there to vote empower yourself and here you’re taking these people rights away,” says Mohammed.
The ruling also restores a week of early voting. And keeps same-day registration and out-of-precinct voting.
McCrory says the fight is not over and plans to appeal it could go as high as the Supreme Court.
