North Carolina advances GOP-backed voting restrictions and shorter early voting

A North Carolina Senate committee advanced a GOP-backed bill to tighten voter registration, expand measures to purge voters from the rolls, require full Social Security numbers from the DMV for list maintenance, and cut early voting from 17 to 10 days for primaries, runoffs, and special elections (not general elections). The bill, which also adds post-election audits and other roll-maintenance provisions, cleared the Senate 28-13 along party lines and heads to the House; Gov. Stein is likely to veto, with Democrats criticizing the changes and opponents warning of turnout impacts.