Federal Judge Orders Certification of North Carolina Court Race: Democrat Leads!

RALEIGH, N.C. — A federal judge recently ruled that disputed ballots in the ongoing 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race must be counted. If this decision stays in place, Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs will secure her position.

U.S. District Judge Richard Myers agreed with Riggs and others who argued that removing ballots would violate the U.S. Constitution. He stated that taking away votes six months after Election Day could harm due process and equal protection rights for voters. Myers instructed the State Board of Elections to certify the results, which showed Riggs won by just 734 votes over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin. However, he paused the ruling for seven days in case Griffin decides to appeal.

"Myers emphasized that the board should not follow state court orders to exclude ballots but must certify based on the final tally," a crucial point in the contentious legal battle.

More than 5.5 million ballots were cast in this hotly contested race, which has taken longer than any other to resolve from the November elections. Griffin, a state Court of Appeals judge himself, protested the election results, arguing that thousands of ballots were illegal and should be removed.

Riggs was more confident, stating, “Today, we won. I’m proud to continue upholding the Constitution and the rule of law as North Carolina’s Supreme Court Justice.” She pointed out that Griffin’s actions seemed like an attempt to change the election results after the fact.

Griffin had asked Myers to uphold prior court decisions that allowed certain ineligible voters to provide identification to count their ballots. Critics, including voting rights advocates, viewed Griffin’s push as a dangerous precedent that could set the stage for similar efforts in other states.

One significant aspect of this ruling involves overseas ballots. State courts had found that some ballots from voters with no direct ties to North Carolina violated the state constitution. A law from 2011 had allowed these individuals to vote, leading to confusion about the legitimacy of their ballots.

In his 68-page order, Myers clarified that election rules must be established before votes are cast, not changed retroactively. He warned that allowing such changes could undermine trust in the electoral process.

The Democratic Party and various voter advocacy groups expressed alarm over Griffin’s actions, which they characterized as undermining democracy. Conversely, the state Republican Party argued that Griffin was merely ensuring that only legal votes counted.

While Myers highlighted the importance of consistent voting rules, he noted that North Carolina can’t retroactively apply these rules to specific voter groups. Griffin’s protests initially involved over 65,000 ballots, but state court rulings narrowed that number down significantly.

Riggs, as one of only two Democrats on the seven-member state Supreme Court, sees her victory as crucial for her party’s future influence in the court. As the political landscape evolves, this case serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges to voter rights and election integrity in the U.S.

For a deeper understanding of this complex issue, you can read more about the implications of this ruling from AP News.

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