Full Breakdown
Federal Judge Upholds North Carolina's Photo Voter ID Law
3/27/2026, 7:25:29 AM
Legal Ruling and Implications
On March 26, 2026, U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs upheld North Carolina's photo voter identification law, dismissing claims from civil rights groups that the law was enacted with discriminatory intent against Black and Latino voters. This ruling is a significant legal victory for Republican legislative leaders who passed the law in late 2018, shortly after voters approved a constitutional amendment supporting voter ID requirements. The law has been in effect since the 2023 municipal elections and will apply to over 5.7 million registered voters in the upcoming November 2024 elections.
Background of the Law
The voter ID law was initially passed by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2018 and has faced multiple legal challenges since its inception. The NAACP, along with local chapters, filed a lawsuit arguing that the law violates the U.S. Constitution and the federal Voting Rights Act. They claimed that the law was designed to suppress votes from demographics that typically support Democratic candidates. However, the defense argued that the law is one of the most permissive in the nation, providing more categories of acceptable identification than a previous law that was struck down in 2013.
Judicial Findings
In her 134-page decision, Judge Biggs acknowledged that evidence suggested the burden of obtaining IDs disproportionately affects Black and Hispanic voters. Despite this, she emphasized that controlling case law required her to presume that the law was enacted in good faith, thereby limiting the weight given to historical discrimination. This perspective aligns with a previous ruling from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which reversed an earlier injunction against the law, stating that Biggs had overemphasized the General Assembly's past conduct.
Official Responses
North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger hailed the ruling as confirmation of the law's constitutionality, stating, “we can put to rest any doubt that our state’s Voter I.D. law is constitutional.” Conversely, Deborah Dicks Maxwell, president of the state NAACP, described the decision as “deeply disappointing,” asserting that it overlooks the documented barriers that voter ID laws impose on certain populations.
Criticism and Opposition
Critics argue that the law perpetuates systemic barriers to voting for racial minorities. The NAACP's lawsuit highlighted concerns that thousands of eligible voters could be disenfranchised due to the ID requirement. Despite the law's provisions for free ID cards and exceptions for those without IDs, opponents maintain that the law's implementation will still lead to significant disenfranchisement.
What's Next
The NAACP has not yet decided whether to appeal Judge Biggs' ruling. As the law continues to be enforced, its impact on voter turnout and electoral outcomes will be closely monitored, particularly in the context of the upcoming presidential election in November 2024.
Verbatim Quotes
- “we can put to rest any doubt that our state’s Voter I.D. law is constitutional.” — Phil Berger, North Carolina Senate Leader
- “deeply disappointing and ignores the real and documented barriers” — Deborah Dicks Maxwell, NAACP President
