On August 12, the very day North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed HB 589 (the omnibus election law bill), three lawsuits were filed against parts of the bill.

A challenge to the government photo-ID requirements was filed in both federal court and state court. The state court case is filed in Orange County and is Currie v North Carolina. It argues that the new requirements for ID violate the North Carolina Constitution. The federal case is North Carolina NAACP v McCrory, 1:13cv-658, middle district.

A federal lawsuit against the shrinkage in early voting days, greater restrictions on provisional ballots, and the elimination of same-day registration, is League of Women Voters of North Carolina v Howard, 1:13cv-660. This case argues that the new provisions violate Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, and the 14th amendment.

Both federal cases were assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Thomas D. Schroeder, a George W. Bush appointee.