North Carolina Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter ID Requirement Over Racial Bias Concerns

North Carolina’s Supreme Court rejected a state voter ID requirement, citing that it was unconstitutional and carried an intentionally racially discriminatory motive.

The state’s high court made a 4-3 decision on Friday to side with a lower court ruling that voided the photo ID law due to the violation of an equal protection clause of the North Carolina Constitution.

“We hold that the three-judge panel’s findings of fact are supported by competent evidence showing that the statute was motivated by a racially discriminatory purpose,” wrote Associate Justice Anita Earls.

Ms. Earls added that the enacted provisions “were formulated with an impermissible intent to discriminate against African American voters,” which is unconstitutional.

The law, pushed for by Republican state lawmakers, was challenged weeks after a photo ID amendment was added to the state constitution after being approved by voters.

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