PhotoA federal judge barred three North Carolina counties on Friday from revoking the voting rights of thousands of residents whose eligibility to cast ballots had been challenged by Republican political operatives only weeks before the presidential election. They include questioning, harassing, loitering, following, and photographing or recording prospective voters or those who are leaving polling places after voting. The North Carolina ruling involves roughly 4,500 registered voters in Beaufort, Cumberland and Moore Counties who Republican challengers said had moved away, voiding their registration to vote. Of the roughly 4,500 challenged voters, Judge Biggs said, 3,500 to 4,000 were removed from voting rolls. The registration battle is the latest acrid dispute over voting rights and suppression in North Carolina, where the outcomes of a number of high-profile election contests could hinge on turnout.

Source: New York Times November 04, 2016 23:17 UTC