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Judge to block North Carolina voter ID law from going into effect

A new law that would require identification to vote is expected to be halted by a federal judge.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — A federal judge might put a stop to North Carolina's voter ID law. A federal court announced that next week Judge Loretta Biggs will formally halt the mandate that is supposed to begin with the March primary until a lawsuit challenging it is heard.

The Guilford County Board of Elections confirms that they've been notified that a federal judge plans to block the law.

*Update: The federal district court will be entering a preliminary injunction of the photo ID law. Photo ID will not be in effect for the primary, absent a successful appeal, according to a representative of the NC State Board of Elections.*

This means voters will not need to show an ID at 2020 polling places unless the motion to block the law is successfully appealed. Election officials say they plan to appeal the motion by the end of 2019.

Judge Loretta Biggs plans to block the voter ID law next week. But she gave the State Board of Elections the heads up this week because the board was planning to mail out 12 pages worth of photo ID information statewide to voters, and now we're waiting to see if that information still holds up.

So the Board of Elections told WFMY News 2 they've 'stopped the presses' and will wait for the ruling, before mailing anything out. 

North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID at the polls. GOP leaders have been trying this decade to advance voter ID, saying over 30 states require it and it builds confidence in elections.

State politicians have been weighing in on this new development:

North Carolina Speaker of the House Tim Moore had the following to say:

“This last-minute attempt by an activist federal judge to overturn the will of North Carolina voters must be immediately appealed by the Governor’s Board of Elections. To issue an injunction against one of the nation’s most lenient voter ID laws – which 34 states already have – without providing an opinion is an outrageous affront to due process, the rights of North Carolina voters, and the rule of law.

The North Carolina NAACP called the decision a "voting rights victory" and held a press conference Friday afternoon at the Legislative Building in Raleigh.

“We anticipate this matter going to trial by the summer, and we are engaged now in an effort to educate the public about this decision on why they won't have to carry an ID to the polls in order to vote,” one NAACP representative said.

34 states already have similar voter ID laws. An NAACP spokesperson responded to that fact when questioned.

“This challenge was based on North Carolina: North Carolina history, North Carolina motivations from a racial perspective and not the motivation of ID’s in other states around the country."

WFMY News 2 reached out to the office of Attorney General Josh Stein. A representative said 'our office plans to review the decision once it has been released, and then determine next steps.'

55 percent of North Carolina voters approved requiring a photo ID to vote in November of 2018. It was supposed to take effect for the March 2020 primary.

We'll have the latest on this developing situation on-air and online. Follow us for the latest. 

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