Two parts of North Carolina's sweeping election overhaul are now back on hold. But the change likely doesn't mean much because there are no elections between now and the full trial on the overhaul.
In October, a federal appeals court ruled that eliminating same-day registration and no longer counting ballots cast in the wrong precincts would severely harm African-Americans, who disproportionately rely on those options in North Carolina. So the court put those changes on hold while the case plays out.
That lasted about a week. Then the U.S. Supreme Court – without explanation – granted what's called an emergency stay, which allowed North Carolina to stick with the changes in the November elections.
Monday, the Supreme Court decided not to give any further review to the case. Basically, that means the justices will sit this one out while lower courts hear fuller arguments. In the meantime, the appeals court decision goes back into effect.
There's a chance that means parts of the law will still be on hold the next time North Carolinians vote. But the full trial is scheduled for this summer, so a judge will likely rule on whether the overhaul is discriminatory before the 2016 elections.
