NC Voting Trial: Closing Arguments And Questions From Federal Judge

[struggle4progress]

By MICHAEL TOMSIC & JENNIFER MONTAGUE • 4 HOURS AGO

The fate of North Carolina's voting overhaul is now in the hands of a federal judge, after a three-week trial wrapped up Friday in Winston-Salem. The overhaul cut the early voting period by a week, eliminated same-day registration, and prohibited the counting of out-of-precinct ballots. Federal judge Thomas Schroeder had a variety of questions for those suing and defending North Carolina ...

Judge Schroeder said there is no doubt the overhaul took away provisions that African-Americans disproportionately used. But, he asked, is there still equal opportunity to vote? ...

Judge Schroeder pointed out some of the testimony has been from voters who just didn't know the rules. He asked an attorney for the Justice Department, Burt Russ, if it's a burden if people just forget or weren't motivated ...

Judge Schroeder said the provisions were extremely popular and made it easier to vote. He said government should be in the business of making it easier to vote, so he asked, why are the changes justified? ...

http://wfae.org/post/nc-voting-trial-closing-arguments-and-questions-federal-judge

[Gothmog]

1. This is a very important case and I hope that the judge does the right thing

[bigdarryl]

2. Who appointed him that how you know where he's leaning

Since NC is right wing most likely he was appointed by a rethug

[dsc]

3. w

[ladyVet]

4. The point of it was to make it harder to vote. Hope the judge sees that.

Harder for blacks, Latino/Hispanic peoples, the poor. There are lots of black people here, and the powers that be don't want them voting. They don't want us liberal white folk voting either, hence lots of redistricting.