Federal judge blocks North Dakota voter identification law
North Dakota on Monday became the latest state to have its voter identification law blocked by a federal court, adding to a string of recent rulings across the United States on the grounds that such measures disenfranchise poor and minority voters.
North Dakota joined North Carolina and Wisconsin, where voter-ID restrictions were struck down by federal courts on Friday, victories for advocates who claim the measures are an attempt to suppress voters who tend to cast ballots for Democrats.
Seven Native American voters filed a federal law suit against North Dakota claiming measures passed by the Republican-led legislature in 2013 and 2015 are unconstitutional and violate the US Voting Rights Act.
The laws added restrictions to the types of identification voters can use at polling places and banned "fail-safe" provisions allowing them to vote without the required identification in certain circumstances.
