The fiercely contested race for the North Carolina Supreme Court has now shifted to a federal court, where a judge appointed by former President Trump is expected to make a pivotal ruling.
Earlier this month, the North Carolina Supreme Court decided that the majority of the 65,000 disputed ballots in this high-stakes judicial election should be counted, adding fuel to the fire of contention.
As the dust settled post-Election Day, incumbent Democrat Sarah Riggs surged ahead with a slim lead, tallying 2,770,818 votes compared to Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin’s 2,770,193 votes.
This razor-thin margin—less than 10,000 votes—has triggered an automatic recount.
Initially, Griffin had the upper hand, but in a dramatic twist, Riggs managed to flip the script weeks after the election concluded.
In January, the North Carolina Supreme Court delivered a 5-1 verdict halting the state from certifying Riggs as the winner, as Griffin mounted a challenge to the election results.
Previously, the North Carolina Court of Appeals determined that around 65,000 ballots—cast by voters with incomplete registration details, lacking proper identification, or submitted by individuals with no ties to North Carolina—might be invalid under both state and federal election laws.
This contentious 2-1 decision was penned by Republican Judges John Tyson and Fred Gore, with a dissenting opinion from Democrat Judge Tobias Hampson.
Recently, the state’s highest court ruled 4-2 that most of the challenged ballots must indeed be counted, setting the stage for a potential political showdown.
The stakes are high for Griffin; even a slight reduction in the number of questionable ballots could allow him to reclaim the lead.
According to Carolina Coast Online, various parties presented briefs to Judge Myers last Friday, with Griffin’s team urging him to dismiss requests from Riggs and the elections board aimed at discarding the “cure process.” Their argument highlighted the importance of state courts in resolving disputes regarding elections for state offices.
In her brief, Riggs declared Griffin’s election protest as “unconstitutional,” showcasing the legal complexities at play.
This legal saga has been bouncing between state and federal courts for several months, and now all eyes are on US Chief District Judge Richard Myers for a ruling.
Judge Myers has indicated that he will deliver his decision “as soon as possible,” but without a fixed timeline.
As reported by Carolina Coast Online:
The next major development in North Carolina’s unresolved 2024 state Supreme Court election is likely to hinge on a ruling from a federal trial judge. There’s no deadline for his decision, though he has pledged to act “as soon as practicable.”
Monday marks the deadline for final written briefs addressed to US Chief District Judge Richard Myers. His court orders suggest no oral arguments will be held in this dispute, which pits Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin against the State Board of Elections and Democrat Allison Riggs.
Thus, observers of the nearly six-month legal battle over Riggs’ state Supreme Court seat will eagerly await the outcome from Myers’ courtroom.
