NCGOP files lawsuit to prohibit use of UNC digital IDs for student voting

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RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — After filing back-to-back election lawsuits in late August, the NCGOP has filed a new piece of litigation against the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the NCGOP and Republican National Committee argued that allowing UNC-Chapel Hill students to use digital IDs violates a statute which aims at “preventing electoral fraud”. Namely, the groups are taking issue with the card being digital and say it does not meet the requirement as a valid ID card because it is not physical and tangible.

On Aug. 20, the NCSBE said students of the university would be allowed to use a digital version of their student ID cards to vote in the 2024 election. This digital ID is called the “One Card” and is only available on Apple devices like iPhones and Apple Watches—not on Android and Google devices.

The lawsuit argues the NC General Assembly, in General Statute 163-166.16 and related statues, do not “describe or indirectly permit the use of electronic forms of photo identification”. Further, the NCGOP said there has been an obvious application of the statute until the Aug. 20 decision which “abruptly reversed” that application three months before the November election.

“The law never changed,” the lawsuit states. “The Court should, respectfully, curb the NCSBE from acting outside its statutory authority.”

As of Thursday, there are 70 North Carolina universities and colleges where student ID cards are acceptable statewide for voting, including UNC’s One Card. Here’s the full list.

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Ashley Anderson

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