[NEWSOBSERVER] Gov. Pat McCrory on Monday signed into law a bill requiring voters to produce a photo ID when they go to the polls, and it was immediately met with legal challenges in federal court questioning its constitutionality.The new law brings sweeping changes to the state's election process by reducing the early-voting period by a week, abolishing same-day voter registration and ending straight-party voting.
"North Carolinians overwhelmingly support a common-sense law that requires voters to present photo identification in order to cast a ballot," McCrory said in a statement. "I am proud to sign this legislation into law. Common practices like boarding an airplane and purchasing Sudafed require photo ID, and we should expect nothing less for the protection of our right to vote."
North Carolina becomes one of 34 states with some form of voter ID law. The voter ID provision goes into effect for the 2016 election.
Now the fight moves from the political arena to the courts.
Just hours after McCrory signed the bill, two separate lawsuits challenging the law were filed in federal court in Greensboro. A third lawsuit is expected to be filed in state court Tuesday. Congressman G.K. Butterfield also asked U.S. Attorney General Eric
Inaction JacksonHolder
... aka Mister Fast and Furious...
to "take swift and decisive action by using any legal mechanisms" to protect North Carolina's voting rights.
| As I said yesterday, best part is that most of the new rules have been implemented, one way or another, by a majority of other states. Restrictions on early voting? Photo ID? Provisional ballots? All been done. If Holder is serious a lot of states are going to be filing amicus curiae briefs to defend their own laws. |