Federal judge blocks North Carolina voter ID mandate

RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican attempts to require photo identification to vote in North Carolina are being thwarted again by judges hearing arguments that the mandate is tainted by bias that would deter black and Latino residents.

A federal court announced that next week U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs will formally block the injunction scheduled to begin in 2020.

The state law identified several types of qualifying photo IDs and allowed people lacking one to get a free ID card or to fill out a form while voting explaining their “reasonable impediment” to obtaining one.

GOP legislative leaders have been trying for most of the decade to advance voter ID, saying more than 30 states require it and that it builds confidence in elections.