In the largest expansion of voting rights in the state since 1971, a three-judge panel ruled in a 2-1 vote to grant voting rights to convicted criminals who are out of prison but still under supervised release, Carolina Public Press reports.
The ruling extends voting rights to at least 55,000 North Carolinians, the largest such expansion since 1971 when the voting age was dropped from 21 years old to 17. It is also thought to be the largest expansion for Black people in the state since the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“The court as of today is granting plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction that prohibits the state defendants from refusing to register to vote any person on community supervision, whether a state felony conviction or a federal conviction,” North Carolina District Judge Lisa Bell said.