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Republicans in North Carolina scored a big win for election integrity this week when the GOP-led House voted 72-46 to override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of a sweeping bill that shifts executive power in the state.

The bill, which moved through the state Senate last week, “strips offices soon to be held by Democrats of appointment power, redirecting much of that authority to Republicans. And it makes a litany of changes to election administration, including stricter deadlines for absentee voting, and other parts of government,” Governing reported.

The veto marks the last chance for Republicans to act as the party lost its supermajority in last month’s elections, though they still control both chambers.

The legislation also removes two existing superior court judges and replaces them with two new judges who can be appointed by legislative leaders — the judges have a history of ruling against GOP legislative issues, but their current terms don’t expire until 2029. The bill also requires nominees for a vacancy on the Supreme Court or Court of Appeals to be the same political party that the vacated judge was affiliated with, according to NC Newsline.

Sweeping changes to the electoral process were also included — more from the outlet:

  • The State Board of Elections is transferred to be under the authority of the State Auditor (soon to be controlled by a Republican, Dave Boliek). The auditor can make appointments to the five-person board, rather than the governor.
  • Transfers the power to appoint chairs of county election boards from the governor to the auditor.
  • Shortens the amount of time a voter has after Election Day to correct their absentee ballot, from more than a week to two and a half days.
  • Creates a deadline of two and a half days after Election Day for voters who forget their ID to go to their county election office and present the ID for their vote to count.
  • Shortens the amount of time a voter has after Election Day to present an ID and verify a provisional ballot, from more than a week to two and a half days.
  • Requires county election offices to count absentee ballots on election night. Members cannot leave the place where ballots are counted “except for unavoidable necessity.”
  • Provisional ballots must be counted by county election officials within three business days after the election.
  • Shortens the amount of time for documentation of cured ballots to be received, from more than a week to two and a half days.
  • Moves the deadline up one week for voters to request a simultaneous absentee application and absentee ballot, from the Tuesday before Election Day to the second Tuesday before Election Day.

Right-leaning social media users see North Carolina’s actions to protect elections as a blueprint for other Republican-controlled state legislatures.

Here’s a quick sampling of responses to the story, as seen on the social media platform X:

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