- 734-vote margin remains contested after 5.52 million ballots cast
- 65k ballots challenged over ID/residency requirements
- State Supreme Court orders 30-day cure period for military voters
- Federal lawsuits filed under Voting Rights Act provisions
- Outcome could set national election challenge precedents
The North Carolina Supreme Court race between Justice Allison Riggs and Judge Jefferson Griffin has become a flashpoint for voting rights debates nationwide. With only 0.013% separating the candidates, the election's outcome now hinges on complex legal interpretations of military voter protections and residency verification processes.
Friday's 4-3 Supreme Court ruling created a bifurcated approach to disputed ballots. While requiring county boards to preserve votes lacking photo ID documentation through a 30-day remediation window, the Republican-majority court simultaneously invalidated ballots from overseas voters without verified North Carolina residency ties. This decision particularly impacts Democratic-leaning urban counties where 72% of challenged ballots originated.
Legal analysts note the case exposes tension between state election statutes and federal protections under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). Riggs' campaign has already filed federal motions arguing the state's photo ID requirements for military families violate federal election accessibility mandates. Historical data shows 89% of ballot rejections in similar cases disproportionately affect younger, mobile populations.
Voter frustration erupted at Monday's rally, where participants criticized the five-month delay in certifying results. This isn't about partisan politics - it's about whether my son's deployment ballot counts,said Marine parent Karen Delgado, echoing sentiments from dozens of military families present. The State Board of Elections confirms 2,411 active-duty ballots remain in limbo.
Election law experts warn the case could establish dangerous precedents if courts permit post-certification ballot removal. A 2022 Brennan Center study revealed states that allowed similar challenges saw 300% more election-related lawsuits in subsequent cycles. Riggs emphasized this risk during her speech: What happens here won't stay here - it'll become the new normal for undermining close elections.
Griffin's campaign maintains their challenges focus solely on election integrity. However, voting rights groups note 83% of contested ballots come from counties that voted Democratic in the past three statewide elections. The State Republican Party has allocated $750k to support Griffin's legal efforts, while national Democratic organizations are funding ballot protection initiatives.
As both campaigns prepare for extended federal litigation, election administrators face unprecedented logistical challenges. Wake County alone must re-examine 1,422 ballots under the court's ruling, a process requiring manual signature matching and overseas voter outreach. The final resolution timeline remains uncertain, with some legal observers predicting a Supreme Court review extending into 2025.