NC Appeals Court Rejects Student Digital ID for Voting

Just weeks before the upcoming presidential election, the North Carolina Court of Appeals has blocked the use of mobile student IDs from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill for voting purposes. The decision reverses an earlier ruling by a lower court and follows a legal battle initiated by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the North Carolina Republican Party (NCGOP).

The dispute centers around whether digital IDs – in this case UNC’s Mobile One Cards – meet the state’s legal requirements for voter identification.

In August, the North Carolina State Board of Elections approved UNC’s request to allow its Mobile One Cards as valid forms of ID for voting. The approval was historic, marking the first time a digital ID was authorized for such purposes. However, the approval sparked objections from Republicans on the board, who argued that state law did not account for digital IDs. Despite support from the Democratic members of the board, who contended that the law’s lack of specificity on “cards” left room for digital versions, the issue was taken to court by the RNC and NCGOP.

The case was first heard by Wake County Superior Court Judge Keith Gregory, who sided with the State Board of Elections, allowing the use of mobile IDs. In his ruling, Gregory noted that denying students the right to vote with a valid ID, digital or otherwise, was problematic given the requirements met by UNC’s Mobile One Cards. However, the GOP quickly appealed the ruling, and the North Carolina Court of Appeals unanimously overturned it, ruling that digital IDs do not meet the statutory requirements for voter identification. The appellate court cited concerns that digital IDs could be more easily falsified or manipulated.

The court’s decision has drawn strong reactions from both sides of the political spectrum. Republicans, including North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons, hailed the ruling as a victory for election security, asserting that it upholds the integrity of the voting process by adhering strictly to the law. “When the NC State Board of Elections exceeds their statutory authority, we will use every available option to ensure elections in this state are safe,” he said.

Conversely, Democrats have criticized the decision, arguing that it will disenfranchise thousands of students who rely on digital IDs. UNC Young Democrats President Sloan Duvall accused Republicans of trying to suppress young voters, while North Carolina Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton criticized the timing of the decision, noting it came as parts of the state were dealing with severe flooding from Hurricane Helene. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) has also expressed concerns that the ruling could confuse voters and reduce turnout, especially given how close the ruling comes to the election.

As the state’s first general election requiring voter ID approaches, UNC is now offering physical ID cards free of charge to students to ensure they can vote.

Sources: Carolina Public Press, The Hill, North State Journal

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September 30, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy