The United States Supreme Court has denied a request from Governor Pat McCrory to reinstate North Carolina’s Voter ID law that was struck down earlier this summer.

The initial ruling from the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the law as unconstitutional in July.

McCrory asked the US Supreme Court to issue a stay in mid-August.

Wednesday’s decision was split 4-4.

McCrory issued the following statement on the decision.

“North Carolina has been denied basic voting rights already granted to more than 30 other states to protect the integrity of one person, one vote through a common-sense voter ID law. Even without any support from our state’s attorney general, we were pleased that four justices, including Chief Justice John Roberts, agreed with this right while four liberal justices blocked North Carolina protections afforded by our sensible voter laws.”

North Carolina attorney general and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper’s campaign spokesperson Ford Porter issued the following statement.

“From the start, Governor McCrory should have followed Attorney General Cooper’s advice and vetoed this law. Every legal, registered voter deserves the right to participate in the Democratic process. It’s a shame that Governor McCrory wasted taxpayer money and once again put his partisan political agenda ahead of everything else.”

Southern Coalition for Social Justice senior attorney Allison Riggs issued the following statement over the refusal to issue a stay.

“The Supreme Court acted in the best interest of North Carolina voters, allowing elections this fall to proceed absent the cloud and concern of racially discriminatory voting laws. This decision opens the door for fair and full access to the democratic process for all voters. Hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will now be able to vote without barriers. The voting booth is the one place where everyone is equal and where we all have the same say.”

American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project director Dale Ho issue the following statement.

“The Supreme Court was correct to deny North Carolina’s last-ditch effort to undermine African-American voter participation in the November election. This ruling means that thousands of voters who would have been disenfranchised will now be able to participate in the presidential election.”

North Carolina NAACP President Rev. William Barber issued the following statement.

“Today we achieved another major victory for justice, African Americans, Latinos, and all North Carolinians. The highest Court in the land has rejected the State’s efforts to implement election provisions found by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals to have been enacted with discriminatory intent. This critical rejection of the State’s position will allow the people of North Carolina to exercise the fundamental right to vote this November without expansive restrictions by racist politicians or racist policies. North Carolina voters will not be asked to show a restrictive and discriminatory Photo ID at the polls this November. Early voting will begin on October 20th and will include the option of Same-Day-Registration, allowing all eligible voters to be able to register and vote at the same time during the Early Voting period. Votes cast by eligible voters in the wrong precinct but the right county will be counted on election day in North Carolina and “pre-registration” of youth aged 16 and 17 is once again available in the state.

“The NC NAACP State conference and all of its local branches are reinforced by this ruling, as we continue our mobilization efforts to educate and assist local communities on the voting mechanisms available to them in the upcoming election. We urge the State of North Carolina and Gov. McCrory to accept -as the Supreme Court has affirmed today- that racially discriminatory laws have no place at the ballot box. Politics as usual is no longer acceptable in our State, and the legislature cannot erect barriers to plainly undermine the growing voting strength of African American and Latino voters. It is time to move forward toward a shared prosperous future for all North Carolinians and to heal the core of our democracy in this State and in this nation.”