North Carolina Supreme Court Race Remains Undecided Amid Legal Challenges

Two months after the 2024 election, the race for a North Carolina Supreme Court seat remains unresolved as legal challenges delay the final outcome. Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin, who trails Democratic Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes, has filed numerous legal objections, seeking to invalidate approximately 60,000 ballots.

Griffin’s legal team claims that the ballots in question were cast by individuals who allegedly lacked proper voter registration documentation, such as a driver’s license or Social Security number, or were overseas voters who failed to provide photo identification. The North Carolina State Board of Elections reviewed these claims and rejected Griffin’s arguments, affirming Riggs’ narrow lead following both a full machine recount and a partial hand recount of the over 5.5 million votes cast.

Despite the board’s decision, Griffin has escalated his case to the state Supreme Court, asserting that errors by the board altered the election outcome. His attorneys allege that their legal challenges reveal significant flaws in the election process that warrant disqualifying the disputed ballots.

The North Carolina Democratic Party criticized Griffin’s actions, accusing him of attempting to leverage the Republican-controlled state Supreme Court to overturn the results. In a statement, the party described the lawsuit as a “truly outlandish move” designed to invalidate legitimate ballots and secure the seat for Griffin without a fair election outcome.

The race remains in limbo as the court considers Griffin’s case. The North Carolina State Board of Elections has stated it will not certify the election results until all legal proceedings are resolved. For now, Riggs, who was appointed to the court in 2023, continues to hold her slim lead as the state waits for a definitive conclusion.

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