North Carolina Governor Josh Stein vetoes judicial and election bills

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein has vetoed two significant pieces of legislation passed by the Republican-led General Assembly, targeting judicial authority and election procedures.

House Bill 377 would grant the North Carolina Supreme Court and its chief justice expanded powers to discipline lower-court judges. Under the proposal, the chief justice could suspend a trial judge without pay while an investigation is pending, even without a formal recommendation from the Judicial Standards Commission. Stein argued the bill concentrates too much power in judicial leadership and could undermine judicial independence, while Republican supporters claimed it is necessary for accountability.

House Bill 958, an election law measure, would reduce the early in-person voting period for primaries and special elections from 17 days to 10 days. The bill also mandates the use of federal and interstate databases to remove deceased voters from rolls and requires periodic post-election audits of county systems. Stein characterized the bill as ‘anti-voter legislation’ that would make voting more difficult and sow distrust in the democratic process. Republicans defended the measure as a way to ensure election integrity.

Republican House Speaker Destin Hall indicated that the legislature may attempt to override the vetoes when lawmakers reconvene in November following the upcoming election.