GOVERNOR'S VETO

Pursuant to Article V, Section 6, of the Constitution of Virginia, I veto House Bill 736, which adjusts the primary dates for the 2012 election cycle.

The purpose of this legislation was to adjust the dates for political primaries if the congressional redistricting legislation were not precleared by the appropriate United States authority under § 5 of the United States Voting Rights Act of 1965.  Under the terms of the legislation, it would not go into effect if preclearance was achieved by April 3, 2012.

On March 14, 2012, the Commonwealth of Virginia received notice of preclearance from the U.S. Department of Justice for Chapter 1 of the 2012 Acts of Assembly, the congressional redistricting legislation.  Accordingly, this legislation would have no effect were I to sign it.  Pursuant to a conversation with the patron and to avoid any confusion and to avoid publication of an Act not in effect in the Acts of Assembly, a veto is appropriate in this case.

Accordingly, I veto this bill.