The U.S. Supreme Court denied Gov. Pat McCrory's request for a stay in North Carolina's voter ID case on Wednesday, with four justices voting in opposition to the stay and four in favor. Five justices were needed to grant a stay.
The decision means the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision from the end of July will stand for November's election. McCrory asked for a stay in mid-August and said in a statement the law was common sense and the court's decision to overturn the law would create confusion.
Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, who make up the liberal wing of the court, voted against issuing the stay.
Of the justices who voted in favor of the stay, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito and Anthony Kennedy would have stayed the law except as it applies to youth-voter preregistration. Justice Clarence Thomas would have granted the stay in its entirety.
