North Carolina Governor Josh Stein Signals Veto for Election Bills, Citing Voter Suppression Concerns
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein is expected to veto two election-related bills, House Bill 834 and House Bill 958, recently passed by the state legislature. While House Bill 834, which focuses on administrative fixes and codifies some State Board of Elections rule changes, received bipartisan support, House Bill 958 passed largely along party lines. Governor Stein has publicly stated his intention to veto House Bill 958, arguing that it will make it harder for citizens to vote and could invite attempts to overturn election results. This bill includes provisions such as shortening the early voting period for primary, second primary, and runoff elections from 17 to 10 days, directing the state auditor to conduct post-election audits, and tightening voter list maintenance by requiring the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles to share Social Security numbers with the State Board of Elections. It also raises campaign finance reporting thresholds and clarifies rules for party switching by candidates. 
