'Blue' states in Northeast and Midwest deny early voting, no-excuse absentee balloting
RALEIGH — The terms “voter
suppression” and “outrageous” were bandied about during the recent debate over
North Carolina's voter ID and election law reforms. Editorial boards from Raleigh to New
York inveighed against the alleged “intolerance” shown by North
Carolina lawmakers’ electoral reforms.
But comparing election laws in North Carolina with those of other states shows that the Tar Heel State has had and — even if Gov. Pat McCrory signs House Bill 589, passed in the legislative session’s closing hours — would continue to maintain fairly liberal access to voting, especially when contrasted with several Northeastern states.
While New York Times editorialists bemoaned what they consider a mean-spirited attitude toward low-income and minority voters from the North Carolina General Assembly, the Empire State’s election laws are more restrictive than ours.
“It shows that a great deal of the criticism, frankly, is without merit,” said Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, who co-chairs the House Elections Committee.
Brent Laurenz, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, said that he believed North Carolina’s election laws helped boost voter participation in North Carolina. Laurenz said North Carolina went from being among the 10 worst states in voter participation to being 11th nationally.
But comparing election laws in North Carolina with those of other states shows that the Tar Heel State has had and — even if Gov. Pat McCrory signs House Bill 589, passed in the legislative session’s closing hours — would continue to maintain fairly liberal access to voting, especially when contrasted with several Northeastern states.
While New York Times editorialists bemoaned what they consider a mean-spirited attitude toward low-income and minority voters from the North Carolina General Assembly, the Empire State’s election laws are more restrictive than ours.
“It shows that a great deal of the criticism, frankly, is without merit,” said Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, who co-chairs the House Elections Committee.
Brent Laurenz, executive director of the N.C. Center for Voter Education, said that he believed North Carolina’s election laws helped boost voter participation in North Carolina. Laurenz said North Carolina went from being among the 10 worst states in voter participation to being 11th nationally.
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