5 years after federal suit, North Carolina voter ID trial set to begin

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s photo voter identification law is going to trial. The trial starting Monday begins more than five years after the NAACP sued over the voter ID law enacted by the Republican-dominated General Assembly. The litigation and similar state lawsuits delayed implementation of the requirement until last fall. The plaintiffs say the law violates the U.S. Constitution and Voting Rights Act and harms Black and Latino voters. Republican lawmakers defending the law say there are many more qualifying IDs compared with a 2013 voter ID law that was struck down. The trial could last several days, and no immediate ruling is expected.