North Carolina Governor Vetoes Gutting of Racial Justice Act: Gary D. Robertson of the Associated Press reports North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue vetoed a bill Wednesday that would have essentially repealed the state's Racial Justice Act, which Perdue signed into law in 2009. Prosecutors who pushed the repeal say the act is in effect halting capital punishment because the court is clogged with new appeals. Nearly all of the 158 inmates on North Carolina's death row, both black and white, have filed papers seeking relief under the Racial Justice Act. State lawmakers have until January 8 to consider an override of Perdue's veto.

ACLU, Holder Cry Foul Over States' Voting Policies: Ed Pilkington of The Guardian (UK) reports the ACLU has brought a federal lawsuit against Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker and other state officials regarding a new state law requiring voters to carry photo ID before they can cast their ballot. The ACLU claims thousands of poor, black, and elderly people, even students and the disabled, could be disenfranchised under the law. One complaint is that poor people may not be able to afford the gas to get to the appropriate office to obtain an ID or driver's license. The article presents the case of 20-year-old Justin Luft, who made two trips to get a driver's license, but was told on both occasions that he could not obtain one because he doesn't have a social security card. Gary Scharrer reports U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday spoke at the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library in Austin, where he criticized Texas' redistricting and voter ID laws. Holder said his department will "argue vigorously" that the proposed map violates Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. Texas and other southern states with a history of discrimination against minorities are required to get approval before making any changes affecting elections. The new state law that would require voters to show a Texas driver's license or DPS-issued photo ID card before casting a ballot was not approved by the Justice Department. Last week the U.S. Supreme Court put a hold on Texas redistricting maps pending a hearing next month. States that already have photo ID requirements on the statute books are: Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. On the opposite end, the mayor of New Haven, Connecticut John DeStefano plans to ask the state Legislature to allow illegal immigrations who live in New Haven to be able to vote in municipal elections. They would still be unable to vote in state or federal elections. DeStefano says illegal immigrants should be able to vote because they pay taxes indirectly through rent and send their kids to New Haven schools. NBC Connecticut has the story here.