North Carolina General Assembly Overrides Governor’s Veto of Voter Information Bill

Raleigh, N.C.  – The North Carolina House voted 74-44 and the Senate 32-15 this week to successfully override Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of House Bill 100, a bill to provide voters more information about the viewpoints and positions of the judges they elect.

Rep. Justin Burr released a statement when the bill passed:

“Providing party labels that inform voters of judges’ viewpoints is the most practical approach to ensure citizens have an active voice in the selection of their judiciary. Voters are competent and capable of making that choice and deserve all the information available to help them learn about candidates, identify them by their positions and cast their vote accordingly.

We want as many people to participate in the elections process as possible, and voters are less likely to cast a vote when party label is not available to them.  This information should not be withheld from the electorate – it should not be a secret – and party labels ensure voters are well informed on judicial selection.

An elections process for the judiciary that provides party labels is far superior to that of direct government appointments, and ensures our state will stop forcing voters to guess the viewpoints of the judges for which they cast their vote.

North Carolina already has party labels on appeals court elections, so it is not a new approach to provide voters this information.

The people deserve the loudest voice possible in the selection of their judiciary, and by providing voters all the information available about their candidates, House Bill 100 does just that.”