Federal court strikes down NC voter ID law

[Hydra009]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/us/federal-appeals-court-strikes-down-north-carolina-voter-id-provision.html?_r=0

A federal appeals court on Friday issued a sweeping ruling that struck down North Carolina’s voter identification requirement, as well as rollbacks of same-day registration and early voting. The decision was a milestone in an acrimonious battle about voting rights in one of the nation’s most closely contested states.

Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, who signed the disputed law, did not immediately comment, but the General Assembly’s Republican leadership issued a blistering response to the court.

“Since today’s decision by three partisan Democrats ignores legal precedent, ignores the fact that other federal courts have used North Carolina’s law as a model and ignores the fact that a majority of other states have similar protections in place, we can only wonder if the intent is to reopen the door for voter fraud, potentially allowing fellow Democrat politicians like Hillary Clinton and Roy Cooper to steal the election,” Senator Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said in a joint statement that referred to the Democratic presidential nominee and the party’s candidate for governor of North Carolina. “We will obviously be appealing this politically motivated decision to the Supreme Court.”

But critics of the state’s voting procedures declared victory after the decision by the appellate panel’s judges, who were all appointed by Democratic presidents.

“We see today as a moral and constitutional vindication of our constitutional critique of this extremist legislature and our extremist governor,” said the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II, the president of the North Carolina branch of the N.A.A.C.P. “A political majority doesn’t give you the power to run roughshod over the Constitution.”

Mr. Barber’s group was among the organizations that were joined by the Justice Department in challenging the law. A lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, which also opposed the law in court, said the panel’s ruling was “a stinging rebuke of the state’s attempt to undermine African-American voter participation.”

Finally, good news for once!

I had to whip out my driver's license for the primaries, and I even though it was a trivial matter for me, it was an unnecessary hoop to jump through.  Combined with the curtailment of early voting and same day voting, it's fairly obvious that these moves are attempts by the Republican-held legislature to artificially lower voter turnout, therefore manipulating the results of the upcoming elections.  I'm thrilled that this ruling reversed these voting restrictions to allow for a freer and more representative election.

[widdershins]

I would sure like to hear one of these fuckers explain exactly what they're talking about when they say "voter fraud"?  Do they really think I'm going to show up to the voting booths with a backpack full of makeup and fake beards and just keep going to the back of the line after I've voted?  How is this possibly ever going to be a real issue?

Edit: I figured it out.  A speech about it by Donald Trump might and, "And some, I assume, are real people."

[Hydra009]

I would sure like to hear one of these fuckers explain exactly what they're talking about when they say "voter fraud"?  Do they really think I'm going to show up to the voting booths with a backpack full of makeup and fake beards and just keep going to the back of the line after I've voted?

Former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint (R) says it's because the Dems are getting votes from illegals.  Apparently no one told him that illegals aren't on the rolls and can't vote anyway.  Must be one of those truthiness things the Republicans are well known for - if you feel it in your gut, it has to be true.  You know, like God.

[stromboli]

Former South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint (R) says it's because the Dems are getting votes from illegals.  Apparently no one told him that illegals aren't on the rolls and can't vote anyway.  Must be one of those truthiness things the Republicans are well known for - if you feel it in your gut, it has to be true.  You know, like God.

From what I've read, voter fraud is largely a myth. They are using it as a strawman to justify their curtailment of minority rights. Any effort to curtail the legal act of voting that either benefits or disenfranchises one group over another is the real fraud.

[Baruch]

From what I've read, voter fraud is largely a myth. They are using it as a strawman to justify their curtailment of minority rights. Any effort to curtail the legal act of voting that either benefits or disenfranchises one group over another is the real fraud.

Rs don't want to admit, they are a bunch of neo-Nazis and KKK supporters.  It is all about racism.

I love early voting, lets me vote when the line is short, often during work time.  Doing it all after work, on just one evening ... is stupid.

[AllPurposeAtheist]

Voter restrictions are getting struck down in several states, Wisconsin, Kansas, NC, Texas,  etc.. Of course the rubes are blaming it all on liberal judges trying to get Clinton elected.. big shocker there..
  Republican-authored voting laws in Wisconsin and Kansas overturned

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/29/wisconsin-kansas-republican-voting-laws-unconstitutional?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Copy_to_clipboard

[SGOS]

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/us/federal-appeals-court-strikes-down-north-carolina-voter-id-provision.html?_r=0

“Since today’s decision by three partisan Democrats ignores legal precedent, ignores the fact that other federal courts have used North Carolina’s law as a model and ignores the fact that a majority of other states have similar protections in place... bla bla bla."

Just how is the part about "a majority of other states using NC as a model" supported as a true statement?  And even if there were a majority of other states doing the same thing, how does that justify discrimination against targeted groups?

It's hard not to view NC legislative antics as a cartoon comedy, even though it's so purely evil and nefarious.

[SGOS]

I also have questions about how these judges are helping Clinton get elected.  NC misguided laws have little to with Clinton, and are solely the responsibility of North Carolina.  The laws either stand or fall based on the governmental structure set forth by the Constitution.  If people hate the governmental structure, then perhaps they would want to vote for someone other than Hillary.  But Hillary has little to do with NC's discriminatory laws.

If this is a states rights issue, take it up with the all the Federal legislators for the past 100 years that have negated the power of states rights.  I'm not fan of Hillary, but place the blame (if you need to blame someone) where it belongs.

[Hydra009]

I also have questions about how these judges are helping Clinton get elected.  NC misguided laws have little to with Clinton, and are solely the responsibility of North Carolina.  The laws either stand or fall based on the governmental structure set forth by the Constitution.  If people hate the governmental structure, then perhaps they would want to vote for someone other than Hillary.  But Hillary has little to do with NC's discriminatory laws.

Yeah, ensuring that citizens aren't unjustly prevented from voting isn't "to steal the election".  That's precisely the Republican goal projected onto the Democrats.  NC Republicans are the kind of people who would steal your wallet and then accuse you of theft when you try to take it back.

[Hakurei Reimu]

As I've said before, voter fraud is fake, but election fraud is very real.

[drunkenshoe]

Here to be able to vote, we need to

-recieve a paper -arrenged to our citizens numbers and names-last names- informing us when, where; in which building, (schools in the regions are used) which number of room and which number of voting booth we should cast our vote.

-provide the original ID or any ID with the citizen number to the clerks working for the booth, wait for them check if we are listed in the region list.

-we cast the vote and then we sign the list in our name column.

You cannot vote if your citizen number and name is NOT in the list. You can't cast it anywhere else than that specific place and booth. There are exception of coure but they are specified months before. It's very strict and impossible to fake. Because it requires to fake it all from the beginning with any inofrmation related to the voter. Not to mention the amount of people responsible from minding the booth and they are selected from every parties.

But there is always the voting fraud conspiracy afterwards. Always. Here this occurs because people don't like the come out or don't want to believe it. It's a weird psychology. It's like a warm and comfortable, denial blanket. It's interestig that yours starts before the elecions.

[Baruch]

In our election in my local area, voting is rather old fashioned, and rather fake proof.  Not unlike your system in Turkey.  The use of electronic voting machines is scary, because those can be hacked.  Paper ballots are hard to hack ... particularly if not punch card but full sheet (as ours is here).  No hanging chads.  Florida can eat my shit, morons!

[widdershins]

I am so sick of having to pretend that Republicans are really being honest about their intents and not actually doing the things we all knew all along that they were doing.  "Women's health" laws for abortion clinics are about closing clinics.  "Voter fraud" laws are about suppressing votes.  "Redistricting" is about tipping the scales.  "Moment of silence" laws are about school prayer.  "Religious freedom" laws are about legalized discrimination.  But if you say any of this Republicans get all indignant as if you're the asshole for calling them out and, for some reason, that scares people from actually doing it.

When it comes to voting we need to move to an all electronic system which allows me to log into my government account and actually check how my vote was recorded so that I can say, "My vote counted and was not changed".  If they don't understand a selection I made I can get a notification to go back and clarify.  We also, of course, need to do away with the electoral college altogether and go with a popular vote to eliminate redistricting shenanigans.  And the federal government needs to take over all voting preparations for federal-level positions and create rules about who can and who cannot vote which overrides all state-level laws.  No state should have the power to pass any law whatsoever which could effect an election for any position in the federal government, nor should they have the power to make sure lines are excessively long in neighborhoods whose votes officials don't like, or restrict ANY portion of the populous from voting in federal-level elections, nor the power to change how those votes are counted and how much weight they have.  For state representative, knock yourself out.  But for presidents and congressmen, one law.

[SGOS]

When it comes to voting we need to move to an all electronic system which allows me to log into my government account and actually check how my vote was recorded so that I can say, "My vote counted and was not changed".

This sounds like a good idea.  I've often wondered how we could go about keeping the electronic system honest.  Never thought about that solution.

[Baruch]

Your votes will be safe, just like the detailed profiles of 21 million US citizens who were exposed by the OMB hack last year.  Computers will save our souls ... Alleluia!  Paper ballots can't be easily hacked!!