RALEIGH, N.C. — Editor's note: The attached video originally aired Feb. 2.
North Carolina voting rights advocates plan to be in federal court Tuesday, trying to block a law related to felons’ voting rights ahead of the 2024 elections.
They’re trying to make it so that people who illegally register to vote while on probation or parole for a felony can only be charged if they knew what they were doing was wrong. They’re not trying to get the entire felon voting ban thrown out; they just want more leeway for people who register to vote when they shouldn’t have — a felony on its own.
Someone shouldn’t face yet more charges and further loss of voting rights simply because they tried to participate in the democratic process — especially due to large racial disparities in who gets convicted of felonies in North Carolina’s justice system, the advocates say.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || Google Podcasts || iHeart
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.