RALEIGH, N.C. — Like Wyclef Jean’s hit song, North Carolina lawmakers are gone til November.

The state House of Representatives adjourned Wednesday after passing a flurry of bills over two days, as well as making time to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary with a session in the historic State Capitol building a block away from the Legislative Building.

The House’s departure followed the Senate’s flight last week, with both chambers’ Republican leaders saying that no voting sessions will be held until November — after the election.

They left work waiting for them when they return — including a few veto override votes planned after Democratic Gov. Josh Stein rejected bills sent by the Republican-controlled legislature. Stein has said he’ll also veto at least one of the bills just sent to his desk, on elections and voting.

Lawmakers will have what leaders describe as monthly check-in sessions, meaning they are likely to be procedural only. But the door is left open for House Speaker Destin Hall or Senate leader Phil Berger, both Republicans, to change their minds and hold a voting session. Hall said Wednesday that hurricanes or other emergencies could be a reason for returning sooner, and that there would be advance notice if voting sessions were to be held.

That leaves the next three months for lawmakers to spend campaigning if they are running for reelection, as all 170 seats in the General Assembly are on fall ballots. Or — if they are in a safe seat, lost their primary election or are choosing to leave office — to campaign for others.

How Democrats want to spend the rest of the legislative session

Voting sessions are planned for the week of Nov. 16 and again Nov. 30.

If Republicans lose seats in the House or Senate, they could use that time to pass new legislation over the governor’s and other Democrats’ objections, as they currently hold a near-supermajority.

The News & Observer asked Hall if the timing of the November sessions was chosen because they could take action depending on the results of the election.

“I don’t think so,” Hall said. “I mean, generally, I think since I’ve been (in office), we’ve come back in (to session) in November one way or the other, whether we’re going to maintain a supermajority after that January or not.”

He also noted that “members of this body are elected for two years, and that runs through December, and so we take advantage of that entire term.”

House Minority Leader Robert Reives, a Chatham County Democrat, told reporters Wednesday that the reason for Democrats voting against the adjournment resolution, which included return dates, was because of the voting sessions planned for November and December.

“None of us wants to spend all of our November and December here. I’m not a fan of lame-duck sessions, and it’s not about who’s in power, who’s not in power,” Reives told The N&O as he talked with reporters after the House adjourned on Wednesday.

“But to me, in November, the electorate speaks — and so if you don’t like what the electorate is saying, then coming in November and December and thwarting what they’re trying to do — I just don’t agree with. I don’t think that’s good government. But that’s me, and obviously I don’t make any rules here,” Reives said.

The N&O asked Berger in June, after the November and December sessions were first discussed by the House, if he agreed.

“It wouldn’t be Christmas without a legislative session,” Berger said.

_____

©2026 Raleigh News & Observer. Visit newsobserver.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.