Thu Jan 09 08:30:00 UTC 2025: ## North Carolina Supreme Court Race: Republican Challenger Seeks to Overturn Election Results

**Raleigh, NC** – The aftermath of the North Carolina Supreme Court election is turning into a major test of democratic principles. Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin is attempting to overturn the results, requesting the state’s Republican-led Supreme Court to invalidate roughly 60,000 votes and declare him the victor over Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs.

Riggs won by a narrow margin of just 625 votes out of over 5.5 million cast. Griffin, initially trailing on election night, requested and lost both machine and hand recounts. His current challenge targets approximately 60,000 voter registrations, claiming irregularities in how those voters registered. This includes voters who registered before a law mandating driver’s license or Social Security numbers on registration forms was enacted, as well as overseas voters.

The State Board of Elections, with a Democratic majority, rejected Griffin’s arguments, citing that these objections should have been raised earlier. A federal judge, however, returned the case to the state Supreme Court. The court has issued a stay on the certification of Riggs’ election while it considers Griffin’s petition. Riggs recused herself from the proceedings, with the court’s sole Democrat dissenting from the stay.

Griffin’s actions have drawn sharp criticism, even from some within the Republican party. Conservative writer Andrew Dunn warned that siding with Griffin would cause significant damage to the court’s credibility and be seen nationally as Republicans “stealing” a Supreme Court seat.

This challenge echoes past controversies in North Carolina, including past fights over voter suppression laws and gerrymandering. The outcome of this case will be closely watched nationwide, given North Carolina’s history as a bellwether state for national political trends. The state Supreme Court’s decision will determine whether the will of the voters will prevail or if partisan politics will overturn a closely contested election.

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