Governor's Veto Override Vote by NC Senate and House
Updated: Aug 23
In lame duck sessions, the Republican majority NC Senate and House convened for Republicans to override Governor Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 382. The bill has the misleading title of “Disaster Relief-3/Budget/Various Law Changes”.
Disguised as a hurricane relief bill for Western North Carolina, the bill is loaded with measures designed to strip power and responsibilities from newly elected Democrats in state government. Additionally election procedures are being restructured in an attempt to alter election outcomes and the state judiciary to favor Republicans in their insatiable quest for power, rather than helping the people of North Carolina.
The most sinister move by the Republicans was to remove the power from the governor to select statewide boards of elections and give it to the state auditor. North Carolina is the only state in the nation to do so. In North Carolina, the General Assembly gave that power to the governor in 1901 where it has remained for 125 years until this legislative maneuver by Republicans.
SB 382 was written behind closed doors and introduced one hour before rushing to a vote on the bill. Clearly a last ditch effort to ram through all that they can to maintain power before losing the majority in the Senate and the supermajority in the House when new legislators take their seats in 2025.
In both the Senate and House votes, an angry and noisy gallery was cleared from the legislative chambers. Representing Chatham County, Senator Natalie Murdock and Representative Robert Reives did their best for Chatham County and all of North Carolina. Unfortunately the Democrats were unable to overcome the Republican majorities.
The Senate vote was on December 2 and the House vote was on December 11.
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