Judge: No Voter ID Requirement for 2020 Primary

Updated as Dec. 31, 2019

(12/31/2019) — A federal court on Thursday ordered North Carolina’s strict photo identification requirement be stopped for 2020. In a 60-page order, Federal District Court Judge Loretta Biggs said that parts of the new voter ID law “were impermissibly motivated, at least in part, by discriminatory intent.”

With today’s injunction, voters statewide most likely will be able to vote without showing ID in at least the March primary election, which begins with absentee voting in January.

Democracy North Carolina’s Tomas Lopez applauded the order.

“We applaud the court's action to stop a discriminatory and poorly-implemented strict photo voter ID law.” –Tomas Lopez, Democracy NC

“We applaud the court’s action to stop a discriminatory and poorly-implemented strict photo voter ID law that would have meant long lines at the polls, election chaos for our counties and ultimately disenfranchise eligible voters during the high-turnout 2020 Primary,” said Lopez. “Now the work must immediately begin to make sure eligible voters know that the rules governing their elections have changed again, while emphasizing that what hasn’t changed is the importance of them making their voices heard in 2020.”

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