The federal trial over North Carolina's sweeping election overhaul wraps up Friday in Winston-Salem. The U.S. Justice Department, the North Carolina NAACP and others have built their case against the state over the past three weeks of trial.
They accuse Republican lawmakers of discriminating against African-Americans with the 2013 overhaul. It cut the early voting period by a week, eliminated same-day registration, and barred out-of-precinct ballots from being counted – all provisions that African-Americans disproportionately relied on in North Carolina.
The state's attorneys have pointed out that many other states also don't allow those provisions. And they say the changes apply equally to everyone, regardless of race.
Both sides will offer closing arguments Friday morning. Federal judge Thomas Schroeder says he will not rule immediately.
