Statement on 4-28-23 NC Supreme Court Decisions from You Can Vote
We are devastated by Friday’s rulings from the NC Supreme Court. Here’s what we know so far:
Voting rights have been revoked for the 55,000+ North Carolinians with felony convictions currently serving probation, parole, or post-release supervision. You Can Vote staff and volunteers have been working tirelessly to educate and register those voters who were newly enfranchised by last July’s ruling. By overturning this ruling, the NC Supreme Court has moved our state’s fight for racial equity backwards.
You Can Vote is committed to ensuring that all eligible voters are able to successfully cast their ballots. We are currently revising our website and print materials to reflect this change. The NC State Board of Elections (NCSBE) has released an updated version of the voter registration form on their website and stated in a recent press release that they will “receive lists of people currently serving felony sentences from the N.C. Department of Adult Correction and U.S. Department of Justice and forward them to the county boards of elections to cancel the registrations of anyone who is now ineligible.”
We will continue working with our partners at Forward Justice to advocate for expanded voting rights for these individuals. If you would like to take action, join Forward Justice and the NC Second Chance Alliance for Second Chance Lobby Day at the NCGA this Tuesday, May 2nd. Learn more and sign up here.
NC’s 2018 constitutional amendment mandating voter ID may now go into effect. By reversing the court’s 2022 ruling that invalidated this amendment due to racial discrimination, the NC Supreme Court has opened the door for voter ID to be implemented in our state. It appears that voter ID will be required for the 2023 municipal elections, according to the NCSBE. We are awaiting clarification from the state legislature and NCSBE about what forms of ID will be accepted–especially important for students on college campuses who may only have a student ID. We will keep you updated as we learn more.
YCV serves on the front lines of our democracy, directly educating and empowering voters. Between these rulings and the court’s ruling on redistricting our congressional maps, it is clear that we face an uphill battle to realize our vision of a representative democracy that reflects the diversity of our state, includes all voices, and serves all North Carolinians. We will need your help to educate voters across the state about these new rules and help them overcome barriers so they can exercise their right to vote. Here’s how you can get involved:
Become a YCV volunteer and help us educate voters in your community about these changes. Click here to sign up.
Make a donation to support our work. In 2023 and 2024, we will have to expand our operations and speak to even more voters across the state to ensure that their voices are heard in our democracy. We need your help to hire, train, and deploy organizers and Civic Fellows across the state. Click here to make a donation now.
As WCU professor Chris Cooper said in the News & Observer, “In North Carolina politics, I think the most recent ruling is almost never the final one.” We expect that these and other cases related to NC election laws will continue to be litigated. We’re also watching several bills in the NCGA which could limit early voting and absentee ballot access. This all means that further changes could be on the horizon. YCV has built a resilient network across the state and we are ready to respond to these changes as they occur. With your help, we will ensure that all NC voters have access to the trustworthy, accurate information that they need in order to successfully cast their ballots.