RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The federal government and others who sued to overturn North Carolina’s voter identification law have told the U.S. Supreme Court that keeping the photo ID mandate in place for the November elections would harm black voters and increase confusion.

The plaintiffs filed Thursday their response to last week’s request by state officials that a ruling by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals be delayed while the state asks justices to consider issues in the case. The voter ID mandate would be enforced and there would be 10 early voting days — not 17 — if the state is successful.

A 4th Circuit panel ruled last month that the Republican-led General Assembly enacted the 2013 law with intentional discrimination in mind by targeting black voters more likely to support Democrats.