North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (above) had signed a law that would limit incoming Gov.-elect Roy Cooper's ability to control statewide and county election boards. | AP Photo North Carolina judge temporarily blocks laws curbing governor's power

A North Carolina judge has temporarily blocked a law, passed by the state’s Republican-controlled legislature and signed by GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, that would curb the incoming Democratic governor’s ability to control statewide and county election boards.

Gov.-elect Roy Cooper filed a lawsuit over the new law Friday afternoon, asking a Wake County Superior Court judge to stop it from taking effect while the suit proceeds. The judge granted the stay request and scheduled another hearing on the case next week.


“This complex new law passed in just two days by the Republican legislature is unconstitutional and anything but bipartisan,” Cooper said in a statement about the lawsuit released Friday. “A tie on a partisan vote would accomplish what many Republicans want: making it harder for North Carolinians to vote. It will result in elections with longer lines, reduced early voting, fewer voting places, little enforcement of campaign finance laws, indecision by officials and mass confusion.”

The law, which would’ve gone into effect on Jan. 1, was part of a late effort by Republican legislators to reduce the power of the governor's office before Cooper took over. The State Board of Elections is a five-member body, with three members appointed by the governor and two representing the other major party. The new law would merge the elections board with the State Ethics Commission, making it an eight-member body to which Cooper could appoint four members — but two must be Republicans.

The special legislative session to pass the law also featured legislation that would cut the number of state government employees Cooper could hire and fire from 1,500 to 300, require Senate confirmation for Cabinet appointments, and take away the governor’s power to appoint trustees to the University of North Carolina system.

Republican Senate leader Phil Berger defended the changes to the state’s election board, arguing that “North Carolinians deserve a system they can trust will settle election outcomes fairly and without the taint of partisanship,” he said in a statement. Berger added that the lawsuit “may serve [Cooper’s] desire to preserve his own political power, but it does not serve the best interests of our state.”

Cooper narrowly avoided a statewide recount in his victory over McCrory, who conceded the race in early December after a county by county canvassing of votes.