Gov. Josh Stein on Monday vetoed two controversial bills: one that proposes a series of changes to the election process, and another that modifies disciplinary procedures for judges in North Carolina.
“Our right to vote is precious. It is the fundamental right that underpins all the other rights that we possess. That’s why I will always protect you and your right to vote and that’s why today I veto this anti-voter bill,” Stein said as he vetoed HB958 in his Executive Mansion surrounded by Democratic lawmakers and voting rights advocates.
HB958 approved by the Republican majority in the Legislature includes a series of modifications to the state’s election laws, including reducing the early voting period for the primaries and special elections, setting a process to remove registered voters who were marked as ineligible through federal databases, and making it easier for anyone to challenge votes after the election.
“The General Assembly wants to make it harder for people to vote and easier to throw out votes they don’t like after Election Day,” Stein said in his veto statement. ” Instead of trying to undermine our democracy to cling to power, the legislature should focus on improving people’s lives and winning elections fair and square.”
Republican leaders in the Legislature vowed to override the veto and accused Stein of putting politics ahead of commonsense election reforms to ensure election security.
“Gov. Stein’s veto of this legislation puts politics ahead of common sense and the peace of mind voters should have when they cast their ballots,” Republican Rep. Hugh Blackwell, one of the bill’s main sponsors, said in a public statement.
Stein asked citizens to call their Representatives to ask them to uphold their veto of HB958.
“This bill passed with a purely Republican partisan vote. Not a single unaffiliated or Democratic representative voted in favor of this bill. We can hold this veto, but we need everyone to show up and to stand up,” the governor said.
HB377’S VETO
Earlier in the day, Stein also vetoed HB 377, which gives North Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul Newby, a Republican, the power to suspend without pay any trial judge who is being investigated by the state’s Judicial Standards Commission.
The governor argued that such legislation would have a chilling effect on judicial independence and accused Republican leaders in the Legislature of politicizing the state’s judiciary.
“It is necessary to stop politicizing our courts. An independent judiciary is critical to protecting the rule of law and the rights of all North Carolinians,” Stein said in a statement.
In response, Republican House Speaker Destin Hall vowed to override the governor’s veto.
Republicans control both houses of the Legislature, but to override the governor’s vetoes, they need the vote of at least one Democratic or independent lawmaker in the House of Representatives, where they do not have a supermajority.
In the case of HB958, no Democratic or independent representatives voted in favor of the bill, while in the case of HB 377, independent lawmaker Carla Cunningham voted in favor along with the Republican majority.
The Legislature is in recess but is scheduled to convene on specific dates at least once a month until the end of the year, so it is expected that they can try to override the governor’s vetoes on any of those dates.
Last week, dozens of organizations that advocate for voting rights and democracy, including El Pueblo, sent letters to Stein asking him to veto bills HB 958 and HB377.
