North Carolina judge rejects Republican challenge to student voter IDs

By Jack Queen

(Reuters) - A judge on Friday rejected a bid by Republicans to block North Carolina election officials from accepting a form of digital university identification popular with college students, who lean Democrat.

North Carolina is one of a handful of U.S. states that could decide the Nov. 5 presidential election between former U.S. president Donald Trump, a Republican, and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.

Thursday's ruling ensures that a crucial bloc of young voters will be able to vote with a new form of digital identification used by the University of North Carolina.

The Republican National Committee sued to block use of digital IDs on Sept. 12, arguing they did not meet the state's voter ID requirements and were susceptible to fraud.

The RNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a written order Thursday, Judge Keith Gregory rejected the RNC's claim that the use of so-called Mobile One cards could lead to voter fraud or vote dilution.

"Plaintiffs have not advanced any credible link between the State Board's approval of Mobile One Cards and a heightened risk of ineligible voters casting illegal votes," Gregory said.

(Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski)