Case: Stringer v. North Carolina

20-CVS-05615 | North Carolina state trial court

Filed Date: 2020

Clearinghouse coding in progress

Case Summary

NOTE: This case is being tracked in close to real time by the Stanford/MIT Healthy Elections Project. So for information, see their tracker. According to their summary as of 09/06/2020, The suit challenges (1) the State's failure to provide accessible in-person voting opportunities that comply with social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) vote-by-mail restrictions (postage at voters' expense, witness requirement, untenable absent ballot receipt deadline in light of ma…

NOTE: This case is being tracked in close to real time by the Stanford/MIT Healthy Elections Project. So for information, see their tracker.

According to their summary as of 09/06/2020,

The suit challenges (1) the State's failure to provide accessible in-person voting opportunities that comply with social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and (2) vote-by-mail restrictions (postage at voters' expense, witness requirement, untenable absent ballot receipt deadline in light of mail delivery disruptions, and subjective signature mismatch determinations without opportunity to cure) that burden the right to vote. The above failure and restrictions violate the fundamental right to vote guaranteed by the Free Elections Clause, Art. I, § 10, and the Equal Protection and Law of the Land Clauses, Art. I, §§ 12, 14, and 19, of North Carolina's Constitution. The lawsuit requests the state to (1) invalidate the witness requirement, postage requirement, receipt deadline, and election officials' signature matching practices; (2) expand the early voting period by 21 days and enjoin the enforcement of laws that prevent officials from extending early voting; (3) enjoin the witness requirement and rejections due to signature matching practices unless there is sufficient notice and an opportunity to cure; (4) provide uniform standards and training to all election officials engaged in signature matching; (5) provide pre-paid postage for all absentee ballots and absentee ballot applications; and (6) extend the receipt deadline.

People


Attorney for Plaintiff

Bryant, Christopher James (District of Columbia)

Craige, Burton (District of Columbia)

Elias, Marc Erik (District of Columbia)

Ghosh, Narendra K. (North Carolina)

Nkwonta, Uzoma (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document

Complaint

Stringer v. The State of North Carolina

May 4, 2020

May 4, 2020

Complaint

20-CVS-05615

Amended Complaint

Stringer v. The State of North Carolina

July 8, 2020

July 8, 2020

Pleading / Motion / Brief

Resources

Docket

Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 2:58 p.m.

Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.

Case Details

State / Territory: North Carolina

Case Type(s):

Election/Voting Rights

Special Collection(s):

COVID-19 (novel coronavirus)

Healthy Elections COVID litigation tracker

Key Dates

Filing Date: 2020

Plaintiffs

Attorney Organizations:

Perkins Coie