A legal dispute over a North Carolina Supreme Court seat has been returned to the state’s highest court, raising questions about the final outcome of an extremely tight election.
Key Facts:
– Democrat Allison Riggs leads Republican Jefferson Griffin by 734 votes out of over 5.5 million cast.
– Griffin is challenging tens of thousands of ballots, alleging incomplete registration data.
– A federal judge sent the case back to the state Supreme Court for further review.
– The state Supreme Court, which currently has a Republican majority, blocked final certification of the results.
– Riggs recused herself from the matter, and the court ordered both sides to file briefs within two weeks.
The Rest of The Story:
The clash over who will sit on North Carolina’s highest court has grown in significance because it could shift the overall balance of power.
Five of the current seven justices are Republicans, and Griffin, who serves on an intermediate appellate court, claims that many ballots should be invalidated due to registration irregularities.
The argument revolves around whether some registration forms lacked complete driver’s license or Social Security information, as required under state law.
It also questions ballots cast by overseas voters and by those who provided alternative identification documents instead of the usual requirements.
Election officials had dismissed Griffin’s initial complaint, and recounts confirmed Riggs’s lead.
Believing federal voting laws were at issue, state authorities moved the case to federal court.
However, U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, appointed by then-President Trump, concluded the matter centered on “unsettled questions of state law.”
After the judge’s decision, the North Carolina Supreme Court stepped in, issuing a stay to stop certification.
Riggs recused herself from the vote, while Justice Anita Earls, the other Democrat, opposed the court’s order.
The case’s outcome now hangs in the balance, as many expect the Republican-majority court to be careful in choosing the winner for one of its own seats.
JUST IN: NC Supreme Court has revised its order. It's still blocking election certification, but two GOP justices are throwing cold water on idea of overturning election. Notably, GOP Justice Richard Dietz didn't agree with his colleagues decision to even take up matter. #ncpol pic.twitter.com/bjA5aGziA9
— Bryan Anderson (@BryanRAnderson) January 8, 2025
The Bottom Line:
This election struggle shows how a few hundred votes can decide the makeup of a powerful state court.
The future justice could have a lasting impact on North Carolina’s judicial direction, highlighting the significance of every ballot cast and every legal argument made.
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Regardless of which side wins, the ruling will likely influence voters’ faith in the state’s election process.