Television spots aimed at educating voters about North Carolina’s voter ID law are being canceled. One million informational posters and push cards are outdated and most likely headed for the trash. Binders carefully created as election bibles for each of the state’s 2,700 precincts need a heavy edit, with no time to waste. Election officials are scrambling to comply with last week’s federal appeals court ruling striking down North Carolina’s voter photo identification mandate and other restrictions Republicans approved three years ago. Photo identification was required for the first time in this year’s primaries, but barring another court decision, it is no longer mandated. The appellate ruling also extends early voting to 17 days, up from 10; and adds seven days of same-day voter registration. … The ruling effectively returns North Carolina to the rules it had before August 2013. But navigating the state’s election rules was already made more difficult by other federal court rulings against North Carolina this year, and some voters told The Associated Press that this latest ruling could add to the confusion.
… Attorneys for Gov. Pat McCrory and the Republican-led legislature began trying to overturn the ruling on Wednesday, filing a motion asking the 4th Circuit to let the state keep turning away voters without photo IDs and imposing other limits while it prepares a Supreme Court appeal.
“Changes to the voting rules this close to the election, particularly the photo ID requirement that has been the subject of voter education efforts for two years, should not be changed at this late date,” the request reads. Outside legal experts have said it’s a longshot the decision will be reversed before the November election.
For now, the State Board of Elections, which has spent about $1 million annually for three years to prepare the public for new voter requirements, must make a U-turn.
Full Article: N Carolina voter ID ruling means another election disruption.