North Carolina Supreme Court Halts Lower Court’s Ballot Decision
In North Carolina, a significant legal development has emerged as the state Supreme Court temporarily halted a lower court ruling that could have led to the disqualification of over 65,000 ballots. These ballots are part of the controversy surrounding the November 2024 state Supreme Court election.
The initial ruling from the North Carolina Court of Appeals stipulated that voters had a 15-day deadline to correct their ballots, failing which their votes would be discarded. This decision was met with a swift response from Justice Allison Riggs and the North Carolina State Board of Elections, who filed appeals.
Justice Riggs, a Democrat, narrowly secured her seat by defeating Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin by a margin of 734 votes. Griffin contested the election results, arguing that many ballots should be invalidated due to issues related to voter identification during registration.
In a 2-1 decision, the appeals court supported Griffin’s stance, mandating that affected voters amend their registration within the specified timeframe. However, this decision did not go uncontested. Judge Toby Hampson, in a dissenting opinion, criticized the ruling, stating, “Changing the rules by which these lawful voters took part in our electoral process after the election to discard their otherwise valid votes in an attempt to alter the outcome of only one race among many on the ballot is directly counter to law, equity, and the constitution.”
The current pause from the state Supreme Court means that the ballots remain valid for the time being. Nevertheless, the legal proceedings continue as the court considers whether to impose a more extended block during the ongoing appeals process.
The North Carolina Supreme Court, which has a 5-1 Republican majority, will ultimately decide the case. Justice Riggs will not participate in the decision due to her involvement in the election dispute. As the situation unfolds, the high court’s decision will determine the fate of the ballots and potentially impact the election’s final outcome.
Justice Riggs emphasized her commitment to voter rights, stating, “North Carolinians elected me to keep my seat and I swore an oath to the constitution and the rule of law – so I will continue to stand up for the rights of voters in this state and stand in the way of those who would take power from the people.”
For more details on the North Carolina Supreme Court’s decision, visit the Democracy Docket.
