North Carolina governor signs photo ID law; ACLU files suit against it

The state of North Carolina has joined dozens of others that require voters to present identification to cast a ballot, the governor's office announced. The new law, which takes effect in 2016, will "help insure the integrity of the North Carolina ballot box and provide greater equality in access to voting to North Carolinians," Gov. Pat McCrory said. No sooner had McCrory signed the measure than the American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal court suit challenging it. The ACLU said the lawsuit specifically targets provisions of the new law that eliminate a week of early voting, same-day registration and prohibit "out-of-precinct" voting. The ACLU was joined in its suit by the ACLU of North Carolina Legal Foundation and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. Acceptable forms of photo identification under the North Carolina law are a valid North Carolina driver's license, a U.S. passport and various military IDs.