Republicans handed major loss in court over swing state voter lawsuit

U.S. President Donald Trump makes an announcement at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 12, 2026. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Republicans just suffered a significant setback in North Carolina ahead of this fall's midterm elections, where they're hoping to stop Democrats from flipping a crucial U.S. Senate seat.

NBC News reported Monday that a lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and the North Carolina Republican Party — which alleged roughly 250,000 voters were improperly registered — resulted in the court allowing 73,000 voters to remain on the rolls while presenting identifying information.

Republicans were hoping to have all voters in question removed and their 2024 ballots thrown out after alleging that their voter registrations didn't include the last four digits of their Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers or a statement that they had neither document. Democrats countersued on behalf of North Carolina election officials, resulting in Monday's settlement granting extra time to the group of 73,000 voters.

According to NBC News, the North Carolina Board of Elections began updating its database of voter registrations last year, sending letters to roughly 82,000 voters asking them to update their registrations. Approximately 100,000 voters in the Tar Heel State lack identifiers like a driver's license number. Because North Carolina requires voters show ID when voting, the settlement allows for the 73,000 voters in question to present ID when casting their ballots, upon which election officials will update their information on state voter rolls with the information shown on those voters' identifications.

Had those ballots been tossed, it could have potentially changed the outcome of one or more U.S. House elections. According to the Associated Press' vote count, Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) narrowly won his race in North Carolina's 1st Congressional District by roughly 6,300 votes. And the statewide vote count could also prove decisive with Monday's settlement, as President Donald Trump only won North Carolina by 183,000 votes in 2024.

"This latest victory is a win for Americans and yet another blow to the Republicans’ scheme to disenfranchise voters ahead of the midterm elections," Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin said in a statement.

North Carolina voted for Donald Trump in 2016, 2020 and 2024. However, North Carolina voters also elected Democrat Roy Cooper to the governorship in 2016 and 2020, and elected Democrat Josh Stein as governor in 2024. Cooper is now running for North Carolina's open U.S. Senate seat, where he and former RNC chairman Michael Whatley are favored to win the March 3 primary. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C,.) is retiring from the Senate and not seeking a third term.

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