The Republican National Committee and the North Carolina Republican Party have filed a lawsuit to stop the North Carolina State Board of Elections from allowing University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill digital IDs to be used for voting. The lawsuit was filed in Wake County Superior Court, as reported by ABC11. According to the lawsuit, these digital identifications do not align with state laws mandating that acceptable forms of voter ID must be physical, tangible items.
The controversy centers on the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's "Mobile UNC One Card," which can be accessed by students and staff on Apple phones, and is the first smartphone-posted ID to qualify under state law. North Carolina Republicans argue that the State Board of Elections has overstepped its boundaries by approving the digital ID, which they claim could possibly undermine the integrity of elections. "Once again, the NCSBE has violated the law in ways which undermine the integrity of our elections," Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is quoted in a statement obtained by ABC11.
The board previously approved the use of IDs from universities such as Duke and Campbell, but the digital ID from University of North Carolina has become a significant point of contention. The Republicans' lawsuit points out that earlier statements by the board specified that "an image of a photo ID, either as a photocopy or a photo on a mobile device, is not one of the permitted forms of photo ID when voting in person," as per details from WRAL. During the elections board meeting on August 20, board Democrats countered by emphasizing that UNC had taken specific measures to meet the state board's requirements, displaying features such as an expiration date on the digital One Card.
The legal dispute is part of a larger debate about ballot accessibility and voter ID laws in North Carolina. The Republican-led lawsuit argues that digital photo IDs could be easier to tamper with and might cause problems for precinct workers, especially if there are computer issues. This comes in the wake of the state's 2018 voter ID law, which faced legal challenges over racial discrimination. The law was used in the 2023 municipal and March primary elections, where fewer than 500 out of 1.8 million ballots were discarded due to ID problems, according to WRAL. The digital "One Card" allows University of North Carolina students various campus privileges, though physical ID alternatives are available for those without access to an Apple product, or who opt not to use the digital version, the News & Observer explains.
The outcome of this lawsuit could set important rules for using digital IDs in elections, affecting how voters, especially tech-savvy young people, participate. The debate over whether college-issued digital IDs can be used for voting is still ongoing in North Carolina as the November election approaches. Since North Carolina is a key battleground state where races are often close, the results of this case could have a significant impact beyond the state.
