The North Carolina Supreme Court issued three decisions on Friday, April 28, proving that the highest court in the state is headed in a different direction.
Two decisions reversed rulings made by the NC Supreme Court when it had a Democratic majority.
In the 2022 election, the voters of the state ended that Democratic majority, and the current NC Supreme Court is made up of five Republicans and two Democrats. Before the election, the Democrats had a 4-3 majority on the court.
The previous court had ruled that the voting districts drawn by the Republican-controlled legislature were illegally drawn for partisan reasons. The new decision overrules that and states that the Supreme Court doesn’t have the authority to weigh in on such political matters.
President Pro Tem of the state Senate Sen. Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), in a press release, said, “For years plaintiffs and activist courts have manipulated our Constitution to achieve policy outcomes that could not be won at the ballot box. Today’s ruling affirm that our Constitution cannot be exploited to fit the political whims of left-wing Democrats.”
The NC Supreme Court also ruled that the voter ID law passed by the legislature and ruled unconstitutional by the previous court was not racially discriminatory and was constitutional.
In 2018, the voters of the state passed a constitutional amendment requiring voters to provide identification at polling places. However, the laws to enact that constitutional amendment had been ruled unconstitutional by previous courts. So, despite the fact that the state had a constitutional amendment requiring voter ID, voters have not been required to provide identification.
The NC Supreme Court also ruled that felons who had been released from prison but were still on probation or under state supervision could not register to vote until all aspects of the sentence, including paying restitution, had been met.
Interesting quote: “ For years plaintiffs and activist courts have manipulated our Constitution to achieve policy outcomes that could not be won at the ballot box. “
And now, no one will have any voice at the ballot box because the people in power can carve the electorate like a thanksgiving turkey.
Even more interesting, does Phil Berger really think that his party’s maps would pass a statewide approval vote? Literally relying on an activist court to get what he wants.
Pot – Kettle, Kettle – Pot. Now that you’ve met…
NC voters do not vote on maps. What was recently overturned was a decision by the previous court regarding voter ID law that NC voters had passed. At the time, the decision written by Associate Justice Anita Earls was so convoluted that it did not make sense. Earls is an ultra-liberal originally from Washington state. The case was originally brought by the NAACP. Ms. Earls is a long-time supporter of the organization. She should have recused herself for the appearance of unfair bias but did not. The current NC Supreme Court is just righting a wrong.
Amen brother!
If you’re so concerned about democracy why aren’t you decrying the machinations of the NC Democrat Party in blocking the overwhelmingly approved referendum of 2018 to require photo ID in order to vote?
Democracy requires the will of the people to be obeyed, not thwarted. Right?
Yes, NC voters would approve these maps in a statewide election. We voted for a court in statewide elections that we knew would uphold the letter of the law as written. As written the law does not permit judicial review on gerrymandering (which mathematically can’t be truly avoided, only reduced). As for voter ID that directly won statewide approval by the voters.
Ricky, you must not have been in NC when the Democrats gerrymandered to stay in power. For over 100 years they controlled the process. In years NC voters elected Jesse Helms, the state house and senate were majority Democrat. It wasn’t unit 2010 when voters put the repubs in power all while the voting districts were still drawn to favor Democrats. So the Repubs didn’t rely on the court, they just campaigned and won. It was only after the Repubs won that Dems and the media began to complain about gerrymandering. There’s your pot and kettle.
And, it was the activist Democrat NC Supreme Court that held voter ID to be unconstitutional. Even though the NC voters approved the constitutional amendment. So the Dem NC court overturned the vote of the people. That is the definition of activist.
Thank goodness!!!! Logic, not partisanship, is back in action in the Supreme Court.
Now all we need is to ensure we pass laws stating to be eligible to vote in local, state, or federal elections anyone age 18 or older must be a citizen of this country and not just residents.
I wouldn’t object if we raised the age back to 21. There aren’t many 18 year old “adults” that I would consider adult. When Carter pushed for this, he argued you could be drafted and die for the country and so should vote. So what? Sure you can be drafted, but you can’t buy alcohol (at least in NC). Plus, Carter was just a sanctimonious partisan hack. He knew youngsters would vote for lefties.
You go, girl.
Rejoice, rejoice and salute the newfound sanity. Thank you NC voters.
This is the correct ruling and the one that should have been made in the first place.
It will change when the dems retake majority. Sad that courts have no integrity. Just political tools.
The voters of NC voted overwhelmingly for the vote ID law. The courts should have stayed out of it
Just when do you think that would happen? I doubt it highly….
Right again!