North Carolina Supreme Court Race Swings on a Razor’s Edge Amidst Mass Voter Challenges and Controversial Legal Battles

RALEIGH, N.C. — In a remarkable twist to North Carolina’s judicial elections, Democratic State Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs overcame a 10,000-vote deficit from election night to win by a narrow margin of 734 votes. Her victory was confirmed after absentee and provisional ballots were counted, and two subsequent recounts, including a hand count, solidified the results. “Let this race serve as a reminder that every vote counts,” expressed Anderson Clayton, chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party.

However, the certification of the election results is pending due to challenges from Riggs’ Republican opponent, Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin. Griffin has raised concerns over the validity of more than 60,000 ballots, including those cast by Riggs’ own parents, citing various reasons from voter registration issues to improper identification by overseas voters.

Riggs, addressing the magnitude of the challenged ballots, emphasized the personal connections many residents have to those affected. “With 60,000 people, it is everyone’s friend, it’s everyone’s family member, it’s everyone’s neighbor. There’s no one who doesn’t know someone on that list,” she stated.

The controversy extends to allegations that the challenges are disproportionately aimed at Democratic-leaning demographics. Reports indicate that Black voters and young voters between the ages of 18 to 25 are significantly more likely to have their votes contested.

Adding a personal touch to the contested ballots, Ella Kromm, a Durham native who recently graduated and moved to Spain, found her overseas ballot challenged when she attempted to vote by mail—a process her mother, a pro-democracy advocate, likened to a non-violent attack on democratic norms.

The State Board of Elections, with a 3-2 vote, opted to reject Griffin’s challenges, but the decision is subject to appeal which might potentially bring the case before the state’s Supreme Court—currently holding a 5-2 Republican majority. This raises concerns about possible conflicts of interest and implications for future judicial independence in the state.

The ongoing legal battles underscore broader strategic plays within North Carolina’s political landscape. A win for Riggs maintains the current court composition but brings Democrats closer to flipping the court by 2028, which could influence crucial issues like redistricting.

Previously, the court’s dynamics have significantly shifted political power in the state. Decisions by a then Republican-controlled court have supported GOP-drawn legislative maps and other measures which critics argue suppress voter rights.

Further complicating the political environment, recent legislative actions have aimed to reduce the influence of Democratic officials and tighten control over electoral processes, including a bill passed in a lame-duck session ostensibly called to address disaster relief. Such measures, according to outgoing Democratic Governor Cooper, who saw his veto overridden, represent attempts to solidify power rather than addressing the needs of North Carolinians.

Aligned with these legislative changes, the GOP also sought to restructure the authority over election boards, a move that could have had direct consequences on tight races like that of Riggs’.

Riggs, having previously worked as a voting rights attorney, noted the very real impact of voter suppression tactics in close elections. “I know from personal experience that when you have tight elections, voter suppression is real and does work on the margins of those tight elections,” she remarked.

As North Carolina navigates these turbulent political waters, the integrity and fairness of its electoral and judicial systems remain subjects of national interest, highlighting the ongoing battle for control between shifting party lines and the vital importance of every vote.

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