Judge refuses to require more early voting in N Carolina

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — (AP) — A judge has refused to order North Carolina officials to expand early in-person voting in five counties after some voters alleged the counties' voting schedules didn't comply with a court's ruling last summer over ballot access.

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U.S. District Judge Thomas Schroeder denied the request Thursday of voters who wanted him to declare additional voting sites were needed during the first week of early in-person voting, or on Sundays and the last day of the period.

Schroeder agreed with state attorneys that changing early voting — it begins Oct. 20 — would create logistical difficulties. He also wrote he could find no evidence government officials violated his injunction blocking a 2013 state law that previously scaled back early voting.

The counties at issue are Mecklenburg, Guilford, Forsyth, New Hanover and Nash.

Cox Media Group