Veto coming on the GOP’s big elections bill, NC Gov. Stein says

NC Gov. Josh Stein says he will veto a major elections bill the state House approved this week with only Republican votes. 

The bill shortens early voting in primaries from 17 to 10 days, and makes multiple changes to elections from registration to ballot-counting.

“I will veto House Bill 958 because it makes it harder for you to vote, introduces unnecessary chaos into our elections, and invites sore losers to try to overturn an election they lost,” Stein, a Democrat, wrote on X. 

One of the bill’s provisions would allow challenges of mail or early voting ballots for up to three days after an election. 

Democrats in the legislature argued that the provision would allow mass challenges engineered by candidates who fear they’ve lost. Those candidates could file multiple challenges in their attempts to secure victories by getting ballots thrown out, Democrats said. 

NC Senate approves controversial elections bill along party lines

All Democrats and unaffiliated Rep. Carla Cunningham of Mecklenburg voted against the bill Tuesday. Unaffiliated Rep. Nasif Majeed of Mecklenburg was absent.

With all members present, House Republicans would need at least one unaffiliated member or one Democrat to help them override Stein’s veto. 

The House adjourned Wednesday and likely won’t take any votes until November, House Speaker Destin Hall said, so none of the provisions will be in effect for the upcoming election. 

“Any bill that’s been vetoed we intend to override if we possibly can,” Hall, R-Caldwell,  told reporters. 

The House already has two bills Stein vetoed that are on the House agenda for possible override votes, but did not take votes on them when they returned for session this week. 

House Bill 437 passed the House with a veto-proof majority in April. The bill would require local governments to crack down on people sleeping on sidewalks, storefronts, or rights of way. Local governments would be permitted to set up homeless camps on public property for up to a year when there is insufficient space in shelters. 

A bill allowing residents 18 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit or safety training has remained on the House’s schedule for months without a vote. That bill did not pass with a veto-proof majority. All Democrats and two Republicans voted against it in June 2025.