The battle for voting rights in North Carolina intensifies as a group of students and the College Democrats of North Carolina take legal action against state election officials. On January 27, 2026, the College Democrats of North Carolina filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against the North Carolina State Board of Elections and its members, accusing them of violating constitutional rights by closing early voting sites on college campuses.
The plaintiffs, including individual students Zayveon Davis, Zach Powell, Rose Daphne, and Raquel Nelson, argue that recent decisions to eliminate on-campus early voting sites at Western Carolina University (WCU), North Carolina A&T State University (NC A&T), and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNC-G) infringe upon their First, Fourteenth, and Twenty-Sixth Amendment rights. The lawsuit highlights that these closures disproportionately affect young voters who rely on these sites due to limited transportation options and demanding schedules. According to the complaint, “the elimination of on-campus early voting makes it significantly harder” for students like Mr. Davis and others who lack personal vehicles or face logistical challenges.
The complaint outlines how these closures are particularly detrimental to young Black voters at NC A&T—the largest historically Black university in the nation—and UNC-G’s diverse student body. It alleges that county officials ignored warnings about the adverse impact on young and minority voters while dismissing student concerns with patronizing remarks. For instance, Jackson County Board Chair Bill Thompson suggested that university students should be able to travel off-campus without assistance because they are not “kindergarteners.”
Plaintiffs seek declaratory and injunctive relief to restore on-campus early voting before February 12, 2026. They argue that removing these sites serves no legitimate state interest and instead reflects a targeted effort to suppress young voter turnout. The complaint requests that the court declare the closures unconstitutional under federal law and award costs and attorneys’ fees.
Represented by attorneys from Patterson Harkavy LLP and Elias Law Group LLP, including Narendra K. Ghosh as lead counsel, plaintiffs aim to protect student voting rights across North Carolina. The case is assigned Case No. 1:26-cv-92 before an unspecified judge in the Middle District of North Carolina.
Source: 126cv00092_College_Democrats_of_North_Carolina_v_North_Carolina_State_Board_of_Elections_Complaint_Middle_District_North_Carolina.pdf
