An elections bill passed in one of several legislative actions in last week’s brief session, has drawn the 13th veto from Gov. Roy Cooper, who objected to a provision eliminating next year’s judicial primaries. “This legislation abolishes a scheduled election and takes away the right of the people to vote for the judges of their choice,” Cooper said in a statement released with Monday’s veto. “It is the first step toward a constitutional amendment that will rig the system so that the legislature picks everybody’s judges in every district instead of letting the people vote for the judges they want. If the legislature doesn’t like the fact that judges are ruling many of their laws unconstitutional, they should change their ways instead of their judges.”
During floor debate on the bill Sen. Ralph Hise, R-McDowell, said the legislature intends to move forward with reforming the system, including the possibility of moving to judges being selected by a commission rather than elected. He said the current system confuses voters and offer little information about candidates.
After the veto announcement, Hise derided Cooper’s rationale for shooting down the bill and called on legislators to override. “The rumors Gov. Cooper cited to justify his veto aren’t in this bill, which simply gives lawmakers time to conduct the thorough and deliberate study of North Carolina’s judicial elections that groups across the political spectrum — including members of our judiciary — have repeatedly called for,” Hise said in a statement. “I hope my colleagues will override his veto.”
Opponents of the bill said it would cause chaos.
Full Article: Cooper vetoes bill eliminating 2018 judicial primary.