Resource: Stringer v. North Carolina

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.