Supreme Court Refuses to Reinstate North Carolina Voter ID Law Before Election

(RALEIGH, N.C.) — The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to reinstate North Carolina’s voter identification requirement and keep just 10 early voting days this fall.

The justices on Wednesday declined a request by Republican Gov. Pat McCrory and state officials to delay a permanent injunction blocking provisions in a 2013 voting law. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down several parts of the law last month, saying they were approved by legislators with intentional bias against black voters more likely to support Democrats.

The Supreme Court decision means voters won’t have to show one of several qualifying photo IDs when casting ballots in the presidential battleground state. Early voting also reverts to 17 days.

Election officials already have been planning to comply with the appeals court decision.