NC Native and Labor Leader Hails Overturn of NC Voter ID Law

Federal labor leader and North Carolina native J. David Cox Sr. today hailed a federal appeals court ruling overturning the state's restrictive voting laws. Source: PRNewsFoto/AFGE.
Federal labor leader and North Carolina native J. David Cox Sr. today hailed a federal appeals court ruling overturning the state's restrictive voting laws. Source: PRNewsFoto/AFGE.

AFGE president says Ruling is a Victory for Voters

Released by Tim Kauffman, American Federation of Government Employees

On July 29, 2016, North Carolina native J. David Cox Sr., who leads the nation’s largest federal employee union, hailed a federal appeals court ruling overturning the state’s restrictive voting laws.

“Thousands of North Carolina residents have been purposefully excluded from the democratic process through the discriminatory voting laws enacted by state lawmakers,” said Cox, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 670,000 federal and DC government employees.

“Thanks to this ruling, thousands of disenfranchised citizens in North Carolina will be able to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming election. But we cannot stop fighting until these discriminatory laws have been overturned in every other state where residents are being denied the right to vote.”

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia. For the latest AFGE news and information, visit the AFGE Media Center.

In addition to Mr. Cox’s statement, US Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch released the following statement following the the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in the North Carolina “voter ID” case:

“I am pleased that the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has struck down a law that the court described in its ruling as “one of the largest restrictions of the franchise in modern North Carolina history.”  As the court found, this law was passed with discriminatory intent.  It targeted African-Americans “with almost surgical precision” – imposing stringent ID requirements, reducing same-day registration and constraining out-of-precinct voting to place barriers between citizens and the ballot box.  And it sent a message that contradicted some of the most basic principles of our democracy.  The ability of Americans to have a voice in the direction of their country – to have a fair and free opportunity to help write the story of this nation – is fundamental to who we are and who we aspire to be.  Going forward, the Department of Justice will continue our work to protect that sacred right for all.”

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Kay Whatley serves as Editor and Reporter with The Grey Area News. Kay is a published author with over 20 years of experience in the publishing industry. Kay Whatley is wife to Frank Whatley, founder of The Grey Area™ newspaper and The Grey Area News online news website.