UPDATE: Court denies NC request to delay voting law order

RALEIGH, NC (AP) — A federal appeals court has refused to block the implementation of its ruling this week that restores same-day voter registration in North Carolina and the counting of ballots cast out-of-precinct on Election Day.

Thursday’s denial of the motion to stay the ruling of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals came one day after the 2-1 decision to set aside portions of North Carolina’s voting changes. The motion was rejected by a similar margin.

Attorneys representing the state later Thursday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to issue an emergency order to restore the suspended voting changes. They cite an Ohio case this week in which the Supreme Court stepped in so that laws trimming early-voting time and eliminating same-day registration could be enforced.

(Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)