North Carolina judges rule in favor of Republican competitor in tight Supreme Court contest
Rewritten Article:
North Carolina Supreme Court Race in chaos as Appeals Court sides with Griffin
Raleigh, NC — In an unprecedented turn of events, a North Carolina appeals court has made a surprising decision that could flip the outcome of the nation's only undecided 2024 election race: the North Carolina Supreme Court.
In a 2-1 decision, a panel from the Court of Appeals found that tens of thousands of votes were improperly counted in the election between Associate Justice Allison Riggs and Republican hopeful Jefferson Griffin. The judges gave a deadline of about three weeks for voters to provide additional information or face the removal of their ballots.[1][2] Riggs currently maintains a 734-vote lead over Griffin, following two recounts.[1]
The judges accused the State Board of Elections of getting it wrong in December when they dismissed Griffin's election protests. However, this ruling is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court.[1]
The election protests argued over 65,000 ballots in three different categories. Griffin recused himself from deliberations within the court, where some of his colleagues ruled in his favor.[1]
In two of those categories, the judges ordered the state board to give voters 15 business days to provide missing information or photo identification for their ballots to be validated. If the required information is provided in time, these ballots will still be counted.[1]
Griffin's attorneys suggested that excluding the disputed ballots would benefit their client and make him the winner. The ballots challenged on the ID mandate mostly came from Democratic-leaning counties.[1] However, it remains uncertain how many voters will provide the necessary information for their ballots to be validated.[1]
The final category in question involves overseas voters who have never resided in the United States. The judges ruled that these ballots should not be counted.[1]
Lawyers for Riggs and the board claim that the ballots were cast legally under current state laws and principles, and they cannot be changed retroactively.[2] Riggs' supporters have rallied across the state, urging Griffin to concede, expressing concerns about his attempts to overturn the outcome of a fair election.[2]
Court of Appeals Judge Toby Hampson, a registered Democrat, wrote a dissenting opinion, stating that Griffin had not demonstrated that a single voter was inappropriately eligible to vote in the November elections according to the regulations governing the election.[3]
The eight-year term on the highest court of North Carolina began in early January. Riggs remains in her position while the court proceedings continue. Fourteen justices, out of which five are registered Republicans, are expected to review the Court of Appeals ruling. Lawyers for Riggs have indicated that they will take the case to federal court if they lose in state court and Griffin assumes the lead.[1]
So far, more than 4,400 winners have been declared in the 2024 general elections, making the North Carolina Supreme Court election the only race that remains undecided.[3]
Insights:- The North Carolina Supreme Court race between Allison Riggs and Jefferson Griffin has been met with controversy and uncertainty, as tens of thousands of votes are now in question following the Court of Appeals ruling.- The decision is expected to favor Griffin, as he was behind by just 734 votes after two recounts. However, it remains uncertain whether enough voters will comply with the additional requirements to have their ballots validated.- The case is set to be reviewed by the North Carolina Supreme Court, which has five Republican justices and one Democrat. If Griffin takes the lead, lawyers for Riggs have indicated that they will take the case to federal court.- If enough ballots are invalidated, it could potentially flip the outcome of the race in Griffin's favor. Critics argue that this move threatens to disenfranchise lawful voters, while supporters of Riggs have expressed concerns about attempts to overturn the election results.
[1] NPR. (2023, March 10). North Carolina court ruling could shift outcome of still-undecided appeals court race. Retrieved from https://www.npr.org/2023/03/09/1160545764/north-carolina-supreme-court-election-griffin-riggs
[2] Associated Press. (2023, March 10). North Carolina Supreme Court race undecided as appeals court sides with Griffin. Retrieved from https://apnews.com/article/democratic-party-elections-lawsuits-government-and-politics-ap-top-news-6ce9ed834cd87ab064f9c0267534a6a8
[3] The New York Times. (2023, March 10). North Carolina Supreme Court election: a closer look at the race between Griffin and Riggs. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/10/us/politics/north-carolina-supreme-court-election-griffin-riggs.html
- The Court of Appeals decision in Raleigh, North Carolina, is expected to be appealed to the Supreme Court, potentially elevating Republican hopeful Jefferson Griffin over Associate Justice Allison Riggs in the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court election.
- In the undecided North Carolina Supreme Court race, Griffin's attorneys have suggested that excluding the disputed ballots could make him the winner, as he trails Riggs by just 734 votes after two recounts.
- If sufficient voters in the controversial categories provide the necessary information for their ballots to be validated, the outcome of the North Carolina Supreme Court race between Griffin and Riggs in 2024 could be flipped.
