In the unanimous opinion issued by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, the court affirmed that Virginia’s voter identification law "does not sweep away all election rules that result in a disparity in the convenience of voting." Under Virginia’s elections laws, "every registered voter in Virginia has the full ability to vote when Election Day arrives," the court continued.
The lawsuit against Virginia’s voter identification law was filed in early 2015 and was dismissed in May. The plaintiffs challenged the constitutionality of the law by alleging that it violated Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act and disproportionally hurt minority voters.
The challenge was initially brought forth as part of a multi-state legal effort challenging state voter ID laws implemented by Republican-controlled legislatures leading up to the 2016 elections. It was bankrolled by millions of dollars from liberal billionaire George Soros.