Senate Bill 382 is a blatant power grab that would strip away the powers of the governor and attorney general.
Changes made by the bill include the following:
- Moves authority over the state’s Board of Elections from the governor to the state auditor’s office, giving anti-democracy extremists control over election processes.
- Bars the attorney general from opposing state laws in court without legislative leaders' approval.
- Forces the governor to fill judicial vacancies from a list provided by the departing judge's political party.
- Shortens the ballot curing period from 9 days to 3, which would severely limit voters’ ability to ensure their vote is counted.
North Carolina voters have the right to choose who represents them, not politicians unhappy with the results of an election. Choosing our own representation is the cornerstone of our democracy, and that right should be respected.
The politicians pushing this legislation were not able to secure the results they wanted through the election, so they are attempting to enforce their will through political strong-arming. This is a clear attempt to undermine the voices of North Carolina voters. Stripping the incoming governor and attorney general of power undermines the fundamental principle that voters choose their elected officials, not politicians.
The NC House passed the bill on November 19. The NC Senate passed the bill on November 20. Governor Cooper vetoed the bill on November 26. The Senate voted to override the veto on December 2. The House voted to override the veto on December 11, forcing the bill into law. Read our press release here.