Voter ID override set for July

Speaker Thom Tillis says the House will seek to override Gov. Perdue's veto of H351, the Voter ID bill, during its July special session.

At first glance, an override seems unlikely.  The House vote on H351 was strictly party-line, so the GOP would need to pick up four Dems to reach the override threshold of 72 votes.

With a majority in both chambers, Republicans will likely be able to pass their maps with no help from Dems at all.  And redistricting bills are not subject to the governor's veto, so vulnerable Democrats may be more inclined to negotiate with the folks across the aisle, especially when it comes to veto overrides.  It'll be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out.  

From Tillis's release: 

“Governor Perdue has chosen to veto a bill that over 75% of North Carolinians support and more than a dozen other states utilize,” Tillis said. “Governor Perdue continues to play politics and she has once again turned her back on the voters of our state. Republicans in the state House will not let this stand. We will take the lead and we will work for an override vote on the voter ID bill when the House reconvenes in July.”

Tillis said the House will notice the veto override once the House reconvenes in July for a brief session on redistricting. The override vote will occur during the July session.

“This legislation is a no-brainer,” Tillis said. “Requiring a photo ID to vote is a measure that provides confidence in voting and protects the integrity of our electoral process. Why this bill was vetoed is beyond me, but we will not stand idly by while the Governor and her liberal allies put politics before principle. We simply want North Carolina to join the majority of states that have an ID requirement when someone shows up to vote.”

The voter ID bill, known as the “Restore Confidence in Government Act,” has consistently received substantial support of the voters across party lines. If citizens do not possess photo identification, the bill stipulates that free photo identification can be provided at DMV locations or local Boards of Elections.

“This is not a partisan issue, nor is it defined by political controversy in other states,” said Tillis. “The Governor is out of touch with the people in her state, and we intend to make that very clear to the citizens of North Carolina in the days and months ahead.”