Voter ID Law To Get Federal Trial In North Carolina

North Carolina’s Voter ID law is set to go to trial in Raleigh in advance of its Presidential primary election in March.

The state’s current legislation – which The Washington Post noted is “one of the strictest voting restriction laws in the country” – will be reviewed in a federal courtroom on Monday, January 25.

And that perception as “strictest” comes in spite of regulators already conceding on requiring an actual photo identification.

North Carolina’s Voter ID legislation was created by Republican lawmakers under the auspices of preserving voter integrity and battling voter fraud. Under it, voters would be required to provide some form of identification to verify their identity at the polls.

Critics claim that the law prevents lower-income voters, who potentially cannot afford a driver’s license or credit card, from having their voices heard.

“The right to vote is one of the sacred rights that we hold dear as a nation,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels. “North Carolina adopted these changes in a rushed process, despite evidence before the legislators that a number of these changes will harm minority voters.

And it is exactly that belief that is fueling the arguments of civil rights activitsts across the state of North Carolina.

“We are prepared to challenge this modern form of Jim Crow in the court,” noted North Carolina N.A.A.C.P. president William Barber, who said that the law – also per The Washington Post – was an “immoral and unconstitutional burden on voters.”

Barber continued, noting the following.

“Given… demographic shifts and without any prospects of expanding registration among white voters, evidence shows that state legislators intentionally sought to restrict opportunities for voters of color to participate, because it makes no sense otherwise.”

Other aspects of the bill include rules governing the number of days available for “early voting,” the elimination of same-day registering and voting, the disqualification of ballots cast in the wrong precinct, and the disallowing of pre-registering for any pre-18 voter.

A complete list of North Carolina’s Voter ID laws is available via an online fact sheet.

Per to The Post, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 previously prohibited North Carolina and eight other states from making changes to voter laws due to “their history of discrimination.” Prior to a 2013 Supreme Court (Shelby County vs. Holder) ruling overturning this decision, North Carolina would have been required to either (a) seek federal approval or (b) gaining “pre-clearance” prior to making any changes, as it is now looking to do.

In spite of the seemingly good intentions involved with eliminating such legislation, at least one former U.S. Attorney General disagrees with the notion that the 2013 ruling is in the best interests of the average North Carolina voter.

“What happened in North Carolina and other states immediately after Shelby is an indication of how wrongly decided that case was,” said former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, also per The Post.

North Carolina’s voter ID rules – in whatever for they exist – will be enforced in the state’s March presidential primary election.

North Carolina governor Pat McCrory, a Republican, declined to comment on the matter, but has noted in the past that many other activities require a photo ID to verify identity.

[Image by ShutterStock]