The North Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled against the use of digital student IDs from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill for voting, reversing a lower court’s decision just weeks before the presidential election.
The court’s decision follows a legal challenge by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP), who argued that UNC’s Mobile One Cards did not meet the state’s legal requirements for voter identification.
Previously, the North Carolina State Board of Elections had approved UNC’s digital IDs as valid for voting, marking the first instance of a digital ID being authorized for this purpose in the state. However, Republican objections led to the case being brought before the court, where the appellate court ruled unanimously that digital IDs do not meet statutory voter ID requirements due to concerns over potential falsification.
The ruling has drawn polarized responses. Republicans have praised the decision as essential for election security and maintaining the integrity of the voting process. Conversely, Democrats have criticized the ruling for potentially disenfranchising thousands of students who rely on digital IDs, especially in light of the recent flooding from Hurricane Helene affecting parts of the state.
UNC is now offering physical ID cards free of charge to students to ensure they can participate in the upcoming election, which will be the first general election in North Carolina requiring voter ID.
Sources: Carolina Public Press, The Hill, North State Journal
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September 30, 2024 – by the Mobile ID World Editorial Team
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