ACLU-NC Statement on Voter ID Bill Passing N.C. House

Civil Rights Organization Says Lawmakers Should Focus on Enabling Eligible Voters to Cast a Ballot, Not Creating Additional Barriers to Voting

April 25, 2013

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org

RALEIGH – After the North Carolina House of Representatives today passed H.B. 589, a bill that would make it harder for potentially hundreds of thousands of eligible North Carolina voters to cast a ballot by requiring a photo ID to vote, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) released the following statement:

“We all agree that it’s important to protect the integrity of our voting system, but putting up barriers that will make it harder for hundreds of thousands of eligible North Carolinians to vote is not the answer,” said ACLU-NC Policy Director Sarah Preston. “We urge the Senate to reject this proposal and instead take steps to ensure that all eligible voters in our state are able to exercise their fundamental right to vote without having to face any additional obstacles.”

According to a recent Survey USA poll, 91 percent of voters say voting should be “free, fair, and accessible” to all North Carolina citizens. The same poll found strong majority support for allowing voters to sign a sworn statement affirming their identity rather than having to show photo ID.