Court of Appeals overturns Voter ID decision
On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed a lower-court decision to enjoin North Carolina’s voter ID law and constitutional amendment.
"Now that a federal appeals court has approved North Carolina's voter ID law and constitutional amendment, they must be implemented for the next election cycle in our state," NC House Speaker Tim Moore (R-Cleveland) said.
There are 36 states that have laws requesting or requiring voters to show some form of identification. Even with the Voter ID Law, a qualified voter with a reasonable impediment to obtaining a qualifying ID can still vote. NC’s voter ID law also accommodates religious objectors, provides for free government-issued IDs and accepts drivers’ licenses, passports, military and veteran IDs, student IDs, voter ID cards, as well as state and local government IDs.
"If the 2020 elections have taught us anything it is the fact that voting in person with a photo ID is the best way to ensure the integrity of our elections,” said Moore.
While the votes of North Carolina passed the Voter ID amendment at around 55%, Governor Roy Cooper vetoed it, but the legislature overrode his veto.
Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) said, "There's legitimate concern today about undermining trust in democracy. When an activist judge overturns the will of millions of North Carolinians who added a voter ID requirement to their own constitution and rests her lawless opinion on political talking points and 'fundamental legal errors,' that's destabilizing. That is what erodes confidence in government. I'm heartened by the Fourth Circuit's unanimous decision in support of the basic principle of self-governance under the rule of law."
