RALEIGH, N.C. — Democratic Gov. Josh Stein vetoed a controversial elections bill on Monday that would have cut the early voting period for primary elections, among a suite of other Republican-backed changes.

At a ceremony at the Executive Mansion, Stein was joined by Democratic lawmakers, voting rights activists and students as he vetoed the bill.

“Legislators are trying to make it harder for you to vote and for your vote to count because they know they have not delivered for you,” Stein said.

The bill, House Bill 958, would also have required the Republican state auditor to conduct post-election audits and would have created new avenues to challenge ballots after an election.

State lawmakers do not plan to return to the legislature until after the midterms, so they will likely not have a chance to attempt to override Stein’s veto before the election.

HB 958 passed entirely along party lines, meaning House Republicans would not have the requisite three-fifths supermajority to overturn Stein’s veto if the numbers held. Even if it did become law, most of the bill’s provisions would not take effect until next year.

Last week, Stein signed a separate elections bill into law that softens the deadlines for some ballot counting.

That bill, House Bill 834, gained some bipartisan support in the legislature, but also drew criticism for a provision that allows decisions of the State Board of Elections to be appealed in any county court throughout the state. Previously, all appeals were required to begin in Wake County.

Rep. Pricey Harrison, a Guilford County Democrat, said the provision would encourage “judge shopping” with voter challenges.

“I think that’s going to prove to be a real problem for fair judicial treatment of election issues,” she said.

Stein did not issue a statement on his decision to sign HB 834.

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