A federal judge placed a temporary restraining order Saturday on the NC Board of Elections settlement that came out of Wake County Superior Court Friday and changed state election laws ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Attorneys representing House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate President Pro-Tem Phil Berger, North Carolina’s top Republicans, argued to Judge James Dever Friday night that the settlement violated the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which gives state legislatures the authority to set election rules. They added that the settlement is inconsistent with state law.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins ruled Friday afternoon that a settlement between the Board of Elections and a political group of retirees was fair and not a product of collusion between Democratic board members and the plaintiffs.