North Carolina UNC-Chapel Hill Digital Voter ID Challenge

Lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and North Carolina Republican Party (NC GOP) challenging the North Carolina State Board of Elections’ (NCSBE) approval of a digital form of in-person voter identification for students and employees of the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill. The Republican plaintiffs argue that state law as well as the NCSBE’s own guidance prohibits voters from using an image of a photo ID on a mobile device when casting a ballot at the polls. North Carolina law outlines a finite number of acceptable forms of photo ID for voting, and the complaint alleges that all approved forms of identification must be a “physical, tangible item that can be held in a person’s hands and inspected.” According to the lawsuit, the NCSBE acted outside of its authority and defied state law in approving the UNC digital ID — known as the UNC mobile One Card — since it is not a physical card, and instead exists on a computer system. The plaintiffs further allege that the NCSBE’s expansion of photo ID options could “allow hundreds or thousands of ineligible voters to vote in the upcoming…election and beyond.” The RNC and NC GOP ask the court to prohibit the use of the UNC digital ID for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election and to permanently prevent the NCSBE from allowing non-physical forms of ID. 

On Sept. 19, the trial court denied the Republican plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary restraining order.

STATUS: On Sept. 27, the North Carolina Court of Appeals stayed the trial court’s decision and granted the Republican plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary injunction. The UNC digital ID will not be permitted as a valid form of voter ID for the Nov. 5, 2024 general election.

Last updated: October 22, 2024 6:10 pm EST