Plaintiffs Want Cleta Mitchell to Testify on Law to Suppress Student Voting

Voting rights groups in North Carolina are asking a federal court to compel election-denying lawyer Cleta Mitchell to testify in their challenge to a voter suppression law they say was designed to keep young people from voting.

Democracy North Carolina, the North Carolina Black Alliance and the League of Women Voters of North Carolina filed a motion Thursday asking a judge to authorize “alternative service” of a subpoena on Mitchell — by email and priority mail — after repeated attempts to serve her in person failed.

The 2023 law being challenged, Senate Bill 747 (SB 747), changed rules for same-day voter registration, allowing election officials to throw out a ballot if just one piece of mail sent to verify the voter’s address is returned as undeliverable. Voters are not notified and have no chance to fix the problem.

Before SB 747, two failed mailings were required, and voters had an opportunity to contest a denial. The plaintiffs argue the measure targets young voters, especially college students, who often move frequently or have different mailing and physical addresses. Mitchell’s testimony may support the plaintiffs’ argument that the law was passed with discriminatory intent.




https://www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/plaintiffs-want-cleta-mitchell-to-testify-on-law-to-suppress-student-voting/