October 20, 2020

4th Circuit Court of Appeals Rejects Republican Efforts to Overturn Key Portion of North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans’ Agreement with the State to Make Voting Easier During the Pandemic

Statement of Richard Fiesta, Executive Director of the Alliance for Retired Americans:

“This is an important, common sense victory for voters and voting rights. The state court, the U.S. District Court and now the Fourth Circuit in a 12-3 decision agree that thousands of North Carolina voters should be able to cast a ballot during the pandemic that will actually be counted, without putting their health at risk. This is particularly important to the thousands of North Carolina voters who are at most risk from the coronavirus.

“The Fourth Circuit’s decision means that the state court consent judgement provisions remain in effect as do the North Carolina State Board of Elections guidelines released on October 19. Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received up to 9 days after the election will be counted.

“Several other provisions from the consent judgment remain in effect: voters can continue to submit their mail ballots curbside by providing their name orally, without waiting in line with other one-stop voters, thus alleviating long lines and potential exposure to COVID-19 and will be able to cure several ballot witness issues under guidance released by the North Carolina State Board of Elections.”

This year the Alliance for Retired Americans, working with its state chapters, has filed lawsuits to protect vote by mail and absentee voters in Florida, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Texas and Wisconsin, in addition to North Carolina.

A copy of the decision is here.

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Contact: Lisa Cutler, lcutler@retiredamericans.org