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   From: crow@rebel.flag   
      
   The voting law, which has been called one of the most egregious   
   in recent history, will stand trial next summer   
      
   A federal judge ruled Friday against a petition by the Justice   
   Department and civil rights group to block North Carolina’s   
   expansive voting law from taking effect before November’s   
   election, writing there was not enough evidence that it would   
   cause “irreparable harm” if it remained in effect.   
      
   U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder said in his opinion that   
   though the plaintiff’s raised plausible claims against the 2013   
   law, there was no need for an injunction on the law while the   
   issue was litigated in the courts. The state’s request to   
   dismiss the case altogether was also denied, and it will stand   
   trial next year.   
      
   The law, which has been called one of the most suppressive laws   
   in recent history, is being challenged by the Obama   
   Administration and a group of civil rights organizations   
   including the American Civil Liberties Union, the Advancement   
   Project, and the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP, which   
   claims the law will disenfranchise thousands of black voters.   
      
   The law eliminates same-day voter registration and out-of-   
   precinct voting, cuts the number of early voting days from 17 to   
   10, and requires voters to present specific forms of   
   identification at the polls.   
      
   About 70% of black voters voted early in 2008 and 2012, and   
   African Americans were also more likely to use same-day   
   registration than other groups.   
      
   With the backing of Republican lawmakers, the law sped through   
   state legislature last summer in the wake of the Supreme Court   
   decision that struck down a provision of the Voting Rights Act   
   that would have required Department of Justice approval before   
   it took effect. It is one of several laws being challenged by   
   civil and voting rights groups for having a potentially   
   burdensome effect on voters of color, though those who support   
   the laws say they are merely designed to protect the integrity   
   of elections.   
      
   Following the ruling, the state’s lawyers said the judge’s   
   decision is further proof that North Carolina’s law is   
   constitutional. “This is a victory for North Carolina’s popular   
   law that requires identification to vote,” said Bob Stephens,   
   Chief Legal Counsel to North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory in a   
   statement. “North Carolina is joining a majority of states in   
   common sense protections that preserve the sanctity of the   
   voting booth. Today’s ruling is just more evidence that this law   
   is constitutional—as we have said from the very onset of this   
   process.”   
      
   On Friday, voting rights groups expressed disappointment at the   
   judge’s ruling, but said they will continue to push to block the   
   law during the full trial.   
      
   “While we had hoped the court would recognize this irreparable   
   harm, the ultimate goal is to see these discriminatory measures   
   struck down,” said Dale Ho, director of the American Civil   
   Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project in a statement.   
      
   “We look forward to making our case at full trial, which is   
   something the state had sought to avoid.”   
      
   The law could have an impact on the upcoming U.S. Senate   
   election in the state, considered a toss-up as Democratic   
   incumbent Sen. Kay Hagan faces a challenge from Republican Thom   
   Tillis, the current speaker of the state House of   
   Representatives.   
      
   http://time.com/3100886/voting-rights-north-carolina-ruling/   
      
       
      
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