Judge blocks tighter rule on same-day registration in North Carolina elections

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked for now a new law approved by North Carolina legislators that tightens a rule on when a ballot cast by someone who is simultaneously registering to vote is removed from election counts. The preliminary injunction from Judge Thomas Schroeder over the weekend tells elections workers they can’t nullify ballots by screening citizens who register and vote during a 17-day early-voting period through an altered method unless due process protections are created. The Republican-backed law has to do with “same-day registration” and address verification mailers in the closely divided state. Democrats and groups that sued say the change would create more erroneous vote denials.