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House Votes To Override Cooper Veto On Partisan Court Elections

The North Carolina Statehouse. Credit: Jayron32 of English Wikipedia via Creative Commons, http://bit.ly/2nSJcMJ

North Carolina's GOP-controlled House voted Wednesday to override Democratic Governor Roy Cooper's veto of a Republican measure. The proposal makes local trial court elections officially partisan again.

Currently party affiliations don't appear on the ballot in trial court elections.

Cooper says judges shouldn't be chosen based on party labels, but on experience and other qualifications.

Republicans say voters know very little about judicial candidates and that having parties by their names gives the public more information about them.

The bill was sponsored by GOP Rep. Justin Burr of Albemarle.

At least three-fifths of the Senate must vote to override the veto, for the original bill to become law.

 

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Bethany is WFDD's editorial director. She joined the staff in the fall of 2012. She received her B.A. and M.A. in English Literature from Wake Forest University. Between undergraduate studies and graduate school, Bethany served as the intern to Talk of the Nation at NPR in D.C., participating in live NPR Election Night Coverage, presidential debate broadcasts, regular Talk of the Nation shows, and helping to plan the inaugural broadcast of ‘Talk of the World.' She enjoys engaging with her interests in books, politics, and art in the interdisciplinary world of public radio. Before becoming editorial director, Bethany was assistant news director, a reporter and associate producer for WFDD's Triad Arts and Triad Arts Weekend. Originally from Jacksonville, Florida, Bethany enjoys calling the Piedmont home.

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