The Republican National Committee (RNC) has filed a lawsuit against North Carolina’s elections board, challenging the state’s decision to accept digital student IDs for voter identification.
At a Glance
- RNC and NC GOP sue to block use of UNC-Chapel Hill digital student IDs for voting
- Lawsuit claims digital IDs violate state law requiring physical, tangible identification
- Republicans argue digital IDs could enable voter fraud and are harder to verify
- Case adds to ongoing national debate over voter ID laws and election security
RNC Challenges North Carolina’s Digital ID Decision
The Republican National Committee and North Carolina Republican Party have launched their fourth lawsuit in three weeks against the State Board of Elections. This latest legal action targets the board’s decision to approve digital student IDs from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for voter identification purposes.
The lawsuit, filed in Wake County Superior Court, comes just three weeks after the State Board of Elections approved the “Mobile UNC One Card” as a qualifying ID. Republicans argue that state law mandates IDs to be in physical form, not digital, and that allowing digital IDs could compromise election integrity.
GOP Concerns Over Digital ID Security
The Republican plaintiffs contend that digital IDs pose significant security risks and could potentially enable ineligible voters to cast ballots in the upcoming November 5, 2024 election. They argue that electronic identification is easier to alter and more challenging for precinct officials to verify compared to physical IDs.
“The law doesn’t allow the state board ‘to expand the circumstances of what is an acceptable student identification card, beyond a tangible, physical item, to something only found on a computer system,’ the lawsuit reads.” – Source
The GOP’s position is that acceptable forms of voter ID should include physical items such as passports, driver’s licenses, and other tangible identification cards. They claim that the board’s decision to allow digital IDs violates voter ID requirements and undermines election integrity.
State Board’s Defense and Voter ID Law Background
In response to the lawsuit, a state board attorney argued that the law does not specifically limit approval to printed cards. The current voter ID law, approved in 2018 but only implemented in 2023 due to legal challenges, requires qualifying IDs to meet specific photo and security requirements.
The plaintiffs also contended that electronically stored voter photo identification may be “easier” to alter rather “than [a] physical, tangible item that precinct official can hold in her hands and inspect.” – Source
Over 130 traditional student and employee IDs have been approved for voting, including UNC-Chapel Hill’s physical One Card. The digital ID in question is accessible through Apple Wallet and is not stored on the mobile device itself.
Implications for North Carolina’s 2024 Elections
North Carolina is expected to be a battleground state in the 2024 election, making the outcome of this lawsuit particularly significant. The GOP has requested a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction to prevent the use of the mobile ID in upcoming elections.
RNC Chairman Michael Whatley and NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons have both emphasized the importance of adhering to Voter ID laws and maintaining election integrity. The lawsuit argues that the new rule could lead to “hundreds or thousands of ineligible voters” participating in the election.
As the legal battle unfolds, North Carolina voters should be aware that those without a qualifying ID can still cast a provisional ballot and provide an ID later. Additionally, absentee voters must include a copy of their ID with their ballot. The distribution of absentee ballots has been delayed due to court rulings requiring the reprinting of ballots, further complicating the state’s election preparations.
Sources:
- GOP sues NC elections board for allowing use of UNC digital IDs for voting
