NC Governor Vetoes Election Overhaul That Would Cross-Check Voter Rolls With Death Records

North Carolina’s Democrat Gov. Josh Stein vetoed an election law reform that requires the state to cross-check voter registration rolls with death records.

The governor vetoed House Bill 958 in the battleground state, which would also reduce the number of early voting days in certain elections and grant the state auditor new powers to review election results.

Republican lawmakers have enough votes to override Stein’s veto, according to WSOC Charlotte. The bill passed along party lines.

Critics of the legislation contend it would hinder transparency for campaign finance and potentially lead to the purging of eligible voters from voter rolls. The bill allows candidates to disclose fewer donations on contributions, loans, and expenditures, increasing the required amount for reporting from $1,000 to $3,000. 

“Rather than make your life better, they want to make it harder for you to hold them accountable for their failures,” Stein said Monday of the bill’s GOP supporters, WRALRaleigh reported.

“They would rather change the rules of our elections to secure advantage than to do the work that the voters expect, which is to improve people’s lives,” the governor added.

Republicans have argued that the governor is making elections less secure with his veto, WRAL reported.

“House Bill 958 continues practical election reforms so we all can have greater confidence that every lawful vote in North Carolina is counted fairly and accurately,” the bill’s GOP sponsor, state Rep. Hugh Blackwell, said Monday. “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.”

The bill institutes a number of election reforms, including stronger state oversight, voter roll maintenance, and quicker counting of in-person votes.

The state auditor must conduct post-election audits and compile an annual report, the bill says. 

“Post-election audits are a commonsense, objective way to boost public confidence in our elections,” State Auditor Dave Boliek said, according to WRAL. “These examinations of election systems are an additional layer of accountability that should be welcomed.”

Under the legislation, the state and county boards of elections would be required to remove ineligible voters from voter rolls and update addresses of eligible voters. They can enter into data-sharing agreements with other states to cross-check voting records. 

The bill would also allow “any registered voter” to challenge the legitimacy of a vote or a voter’s registration.  A decision made by the county board may be appealed to the Superior Court in the county where the challenge originated. 

Early votes cast in-person must be counted at the time polls close on Election Day. The bill stipulates that if a voter lacks photo ID, he or she will get a provisional ballot. 

The bill further bans foreign nationals from donating to a referendum campaign. Numerous other states have banned direct and indirect foreign contributions on ballot measures in recent years.