The North Carolina Supreme Court race between Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs and Republican Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin has plunged into a fierce legal battle, with lawsuits and protests over tens of thousands of ballots casting uncertainty on the final outcome.
Democrats File Federal Lawsuit to Protect Ballots
The North Carolina Democratic Party filed a federal lawsuit on Friday to prevent the potential removal of over 60,000 ballots challenged by Griffin and three other Republican legislative candidates. The Democrats argue that discarding these votes would violate federal laws prohibiting retroactive voter registration challenges.
“No North Carolinian deserves to have their vote thrown out in a callous power grab,” said Anderson Clayton, Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.
The lawsuit seeks to ensure that federal law and the Constitution safeguard these votes and urges the state’s Democratic-majority election board to comply.
Republicans Press for Faster Action on Challenges
Griffin’s attorneys filed motions in state courts on Friday demanding that the State Board of Elections expedite its decision on their challenges. The board had initially planned a public hearing next Wednesday but has yet to issue a final ruling.
“Public trust in our electoral processes depends on both fair and efficient procedures to determine the outcome of our elections,” said Griffin’s attorney, Troy Shelton.
Razor-Thin Margin Sparks Intense Scrutiny
Riggs leads Griffin by just 734 votes after a machine recount of more than 5.5 million ballots. A partial hand recount is nearly complete, but Griffin’s protests challenge the eligibility of certain voters, including those without driver’s licenses or Social Security numbers on record and some overseas voters allegedly violating state residency rules.
Griffin’s initial lead of 10,000 votes on election night flipped to Riggs after the inclusion of provisional and absentee ballots during the canvass. Riggs has since declared victory.
Implications Beyond the Supreme Court Race
Three Republican legislative candidates have joined Griffin’s ballot protests, including GOP Rep. Frank Sossamon, who trails Democrat Bryan Cohn by about 230 votes. If Cohn secures victory, Republicans could lose their veto-proof majority in the state legislature, giving Democratic Gov.-elect Josh Stein more leverage starting in 2025.
The Associated Press has yet to call the Supreme Court race or two of the three legislative contests in question.
