Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed a bill that would've required a new primary election in the 9th District Friday, saying it would make it harder to root out corruption in elections and campaigns.
The elections bill, House Bill 1029, aimed to restore the governor's control of the state elections board, an action Cooper was pleased by, but simultaneously sought to limit public knowledge regarding campaign finance investigations.
Cooper said Monday that he would pass the bill if that condition was eliminated.
In a statement Friday, he called the downside to the bill "devastating to the cause of fighting election fraud."
The decision comes in the midst of the state's investigation into alleged election fraud in the 9th Congressional District.
While Democrats applaud the decision, citing the need for more transparency, Republican lawmakers say that the veto will put a hold on the 9th District investigation and that the veto will be overridden.
Unofficial results in the district show Republican Mark Harris leading Democrat Dan McCready by 905 votes, an outcome that will not be certified until the investigation is complete.
A public hearing on the investigation into the race will be held Jan. 11.
