From today’s Associated Press Online:
Tens of thousands of people serving punishments for felony convictions in North Carolina but who aren’t behind bars can now register to vote and cast ballots this fall after an appeals court ruling.
Expanding the scope of those able to register and vote began Wednesday, the State Board of Elections said — the day after local elections were held in more than a dozen localities.
The change proceeds from litigation challenging a 1973 law that prevents someone convicted of a felony from having voting rights restored while they are still on probation, parole or post-release supervision.
More than 56,000 people in North Carolina were prevented from registering under the challenged law, according to evidence cited in a 2021 trial.
North Carolina has more than 7.3 million registered voters, and statewide elections in the presidential battleground state are often close affairs. So any influx of voters could make a difference this fall, when the ballot will feature statewide races for U.S. Senate and the state Supreme Court.
Read the complete story here.