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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.