The Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the North Carolina Democratic Party have filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Election over two new GOP-backed election laws. The laws went into effect after the state legislature voted to override the Democratic governor’s veto. The lawsuit specifically challenges Senate Bill 747, arguing that it undermines the right to vote in North Carolina. The plaintiffs focus on same-day voting changes in the bill, particularly provisions that require additional documentation for same-day registrants and allow their ballots to be discarded if one verification notice is returned undeliverable.
The plaintiffs argue that these provisions unjustifiably deny eligible voters their fundamental right to cast ballots and have them counted. They note that registration applications by other voters cannot be rejected unless there are two undeliverable verification notices, giving non-same-day voter-registration applicants the chance to appeal the ruling. The lawsuit also takes issue with a part of the law that eliminates the grace period for absentee ballots and requires their discard if not received by 7:30 p.m. on election day, while simultaneously extending the time allowed to challenge absentee ballots. In response to the lawsuit, Republicans claim that the new legislation strengthens election integrity, while Democrats argue that it seeks to suppress voter rights.
The state legislature, which has a veto-proof Republican majority, voted to override the governor’s veto and enforce the new legislation. Democrats believe that the new laws are designed to rob people of their right to vote, while Republicans argue that they enhance election integrity. The lawsuit challenges the same-day voting changes in the bill, which create additional requirements and potential ballot discarding for same-day registrants, compared to other voters. The plaintiffs denounce these provisions as unjustified and argue that they undermine the fundamental right to vote by denying eligible voters the opportunity to cast their ballots. They also criticize the elimination of the grace period for absentee ballots and the unequal extension of time for challenging them, claiming that this limits access to the voting process.
