A state Senate bill that would delay this year’s elections for 35 municipalities until 2022 became law Friday after Gov. Roy Cooper chose not to take action.
Senate Bill 722 affects Greensboro, Hickory, Lexington and Statesville.
Election timing can be changed only by the General Assembly.
The Senate agreed by a 33-14 vote on June 14 to House changes, which included yes votes from seven Senate Democrats.
The House approved the bill by a 107-0 on June 9 following the inclusion of changes that would affect school board elections with Lexington City Schools and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.
“While delays to census data caused by the pandemic necessitate changes to local elections, decisions about local elections like these should involve more open discussion and public input, and therefore these changes will become law without my signature,” Cooper said in a statement.
SB722 cleared the Senate despite the five senators representing Wake County objecting to bill language affecting Raleigh municipal elections.
SB722 would permanently switch Raleigh’s elections to even-numbered years, including what would have been the November 2021 election to Nov. 8, 2022.
