NC appeals court upholds voter ID, tax cap amendments

[Swordsmyth]

The state Court of Appeals has overturned a trial-court ruling voiding amendments to North Carolina's constitution that voters approved two years ago, calling for people to present photo identification at the polls and lowering the cap on the state income tax rate.

Four of six amendments on the ballot in November 2018 passed, but the NAACP challenged only the voter ID and the 7 percent income tax cap. The group argued that the proposals never should have gone to a referendum because dozens of the lawmakers who put the amendments on the ballot were elected in illegally gerrymandered districts.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins agreed with the NAACP last year, putting the amendments on hold. But the Court of Appeals threw out his decision in a 2-1 ruling that will next go to the state Supreme Court.

"We conclude that the Superior Court erred in holding that our General Assembly lost its power granted by our state constitution ... simply because a federal court had determined that the maps contained too many majority-minority districts, such that some members elected to that body were from districts that were illegally gerrymandered based on race," Judge Chris Dillon wrote for the majority. "It is simply beyond our power to thwart the otherwise lawful exercise of constitutional power by our legislative branch to pass bills proposing amendments."

Judge Donna Stroud wrote in a concurring opinion that declaring the General Assembly invalid because of some gerrymandered districts wouldn't allow any legislative action – even drawing new voting districts – which would create chaos.

"In our role as an error-correcting court, this court has no power to affirm the trial court’s order because it is not based upon law," Stroud wrote.

More at: https://www.wral.com/nc-appeals-cour...ents/19287208/

[Working Poor]

This sounds like gobbly gook to me . I can't make sense of it. The past 3 elections for president I have had to show ID. I will say that our guy @Gunny Freedom got gerrymandered out of his district though.