WASHINGTON — The federal appeals court that struck down North Carolina's voting restrictions this past week on Thursday denied the state's request to put the order on hold while the state attempts to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court.
"Voters disenfranchised by a law enacted with discriminatory intent suffer irreparable harm far greater than any potential harm to the State," the court's order denying the request stated. "[O]ur injunction merely returns North Carolina’s voting procedures to the status quo prevailing before the discriminatory law was enacted."
Lawyers for Gov. Pat McCrory, who was not represented by Attorney General Roy Cooper in the filing, requested the stay on Wednesday — as was noted by University of California Irvine law professor Rick Hasen.
UPDATE, 4:19 p.m. Friday: In response to the denial, McCrory said in a statement on Friday that he will now turn to the Supreme Court.
"Changing our state’s election laws close to the upcoming election, including common sense voter ID, will create confusion for voters and poll workers. The court should have stayed their ruling, which is legally flawed, factually wrong, and disparaging to our state," he said. "Therefore, by early next week, we will be asking the U.S. Supreme Court to stay the ruling of the Court of Appeals."
(h/t Rick Hasen)