Case name: Michael Crowell v. State of North Carolina et al
What it's about: Membership on state and county elections boards
State or federal court: Federal, Middle District of North Carolina.
Summary: The lawsuit argues that the requirement that members of the Bipartisan State Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement and county elections boards be registered Democrats or Republicans discriminates against the growing number of unaffiliated voters in North Carolina.
In the real world: After a three-judge panel dismissed Gov. Roy Cooper's challenge to the merger of the State Board of Elections and the State Ethics Commission, no members have been named to the new eight-person state board – and consequently to the four-person boards in each of the 100 counties.
Where it stands: The elections board has asked that the suit be dismissed, but no ruling has been issued.