Court Upholds Mobile Voter ID for UNC Students

A Wake County Superior Court judge in North Carolina has ruled that students and employees at UNC-Chapel Hill can use a digital identification card for voting, denying a request from the Republican National Committee (RNC) to block its use. The UNC mobile One Card, approved by the State Board of Elections in August, met the statutory criteria for valid voter ID despite the RNC's claims that the law requires physical cards. The judge emphasized that the law does not explicitly prohibit digital IDs and highlighted the potential disenfranchisement of students if such a card were disallowed. This ruling allows the digital ID to be used in the upcoming November elections, with early voting starting on October 17. The RNC is considering an appeal, but time is running short as absentee ballots are set to be mailed soon. The decision marks a significant step in the ongoing debate surrounding voter ID laws in North Carolina.