Republicans File Legal Challenge Against Student Digital ID Use in Election

Republican organizations have filed a lawsuit against the North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE) to block students and employees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill) from using digital identification for voting purposes.

The Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party contend that state law permits only physical forms of identification for voting, such as driver’s licenses, passports, and military IDs. They argue that the NCSBE overstepped its authority by approving the “Mobile UNC One Card,” a digital ID accessible via Apple devices, as an acceptable form of voter ID.

The NCSBE approved the use of the digital ID in a 3-2 vote on August 20, marking the first time a smartphone-based ID has been accepted for voting in the state. Proponents of the decision point out that the digital ID meets all photo and security requirements outlined in the law and reflects technological advancements in identification methods.

Board Chair Alan Hirsch cited the increasing use of digital credentials in everyday life, such as mobile boarding passes for air travel, to support the approval.

The Republican lawsuit raises concerns about the potential for voter fraud and logistical challenges at polling stations. They claim that digital IDs could be more easily altered than physical cards and that poll workers might have difficulty verifying them due to screen visibility issues or technological malfunctions. The plaintiffs suggest that allowing digital IDs could enable “hundreds or thousands of ineligible voters” to cast ballots, which could influence the outcomes of closely contested races in the battleground state.

Opponents of the lawsuit, including voting rights advocates, argue that disallowing digital IDs could disenfranchise thousands of students and staff who rely on them as their primary form of identification. Since UNC-Chapel Hill transitioned to digital IDs in August 2023, physical IDs no longer function for accessing campus facilities or services. Critics view the legal challenge as part of a broader pattern of efforts to restrict voter access ahead of the upcoming elections.

The NCSBE has yet to issue a detailed response to the lawsuit but has referred to its prior discussions, in which legal counsel indicated that the law does not explicitly prohibit digital IDs. The outcome of the case could set a precedent for the use of digital identification in voting, especially as the state plans to introduce mobile driver’s licenses starting in July 2025.

Sources: ABC News, Courthouse News Service, Democracy Docket

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September 13, 2024 – by Cass Kennedy