Judge refuses to delay order voiding voter ID amendment

RALEIGH, N.C. – A trial judge won’t delay enforcement of his ruling that voided constitutional amendments approved by North Carolina voters in November to require photo voter identification and lower the cap on income tax rates.

Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins on Friday denied the request from Republican legislative leaders to block his own order from last week while they appeal the substance of his decision. Senate leader Phil Berger’s office said GOP legislators would now seek the stay from the Court of Appeals.

Collins invalidated the legislation creating the referendums and the approved amendments. He wrote the General Assembly that fashioned the amendments last year was “illegally constituted” because lawmakers were elected from many districts previously declared as illegal racial gerrymanders.

Republicans contend his reasoning jeopardizes dozens of laws.