The governor of North Carolina vetoed the latest legislation on voter identification

RALEIGH, North Carolina – Democratic Governor Roy Cooper vetoed Friday legislation implementing a search warrant. voters recently added to the state's referendum constitution, likely opposing a veto to Republican lawmakers.

Over the years, Cooper has opposed voter identification legislation, claiming that it was unnecessary and would prevent many poor and minority citizens from exercising their right of vote. He vetoed the measure although more than 55 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment last month requiring a photo ID in person.

"Requiring a photo ID to vote in person is a solution in search of a problem," Cooper said.

"Instead, the real electoral problem lies in the votes illegally obtained through mail ballots, which this proposal does not resolve," he said, referring to an inquiry into alleged fraud related to the postal vote in the 9th district of the state of Congress, in the November elections. .

He added that the fundamental flaw in the bill was a "sinister and cynical" attempt to suppress the voting rights of minorities, the poor and the elderly.

Republican leaders at the GOP-dominated General Assembly vowed last Friday to overthrow, a move that some observers believe will lead to litigation.

The GOP holds majorities vetoable in the House and Senate, so a renunciation would take place if Republican lawmakers remained largely united. re. Votes could be held next week. Republicans are now acting because they will not have supermajorities from January after democratic legislative advances on election day.

"Despite the governor's personal feelings regarding the identification of voters, the fact remains that the constitutional amendment was passed with a broad mandate from the North Carolinians. "GOP leader in the Senate, Phil Berger, said in a statement, calling Cooper's arguments" weary tired of unconvincing discussion topics rejected by voters ".

Democratic lawmakers recognize that voter identification rules are needed because of the referendum, but they say the details are urgent, complex and will prevent some minorities and some poor from voting. The bill significantly increases the number of eligible identifiers and exceptions compared to legislation stalled at the beginning of this decade. Republicans believe the changes will ensure that everyone legally entitled to vote can vote.

Authorized identity cards include traditional driver's licenses and military identification, college and university student cards and local government and state employee cards . These ID cards must meet certain security thresholds.

A new free photo ID will also be produced by county councils. Individuals who have difficulty obtaining a piece of ID could fill out forms on the voting site and their ballots would also be counted.

Federal judges overturned a 2013 law providing for a photo ID and other voting restrictions. intentional racial discrimination. The Republicans strongly disagreed and put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to give them more legal and popular status to require voter identification.

Despite data showing that the impersonation of voters is rare, Republicans in North Carolina and the country have called for voter identification. In recent years, they have said that it will boost public confidence in the election results.

A late addition to the measure asks state election officials to determine how people requesting postal mail ballots could provide proof of their identity. This provision is largely a response to an investigation into an alleged fraud related to a postal vote in the 9th district. The results of the 9th district, in which Republican Mark Harris leads Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, have not been finalized, as investigators gather evidence for a hearing to be held later this month -this.