Federal Court Petitioned to Halt Certification in Close North Carolina Supreme Court Race

Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin has sought a federal injunction in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina to prevent the certification of the state Supreme Court election results. Griffin, trailing by 734 votes against Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs, is challenging over 60,000 ballots in an effort to overturn the election outcome.

The motion, filed just days before the expected certification by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, comes on the heels of Griffin’s unsuccessful attempts to have these ballots invalidated by state election officials. His legal team argues that the votes in question were cast by individuals who did not provide a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number during voter registration, which they claim should disqualify these ballots under state law.

The federal court action follows after the state elections board, with a Democratic majority, dismissed Griffin’s protests earlier this month, a decision that solidified Riggs’ slim lead. Griffin’s campaign has emphasized that without this injunction, his legal challenges would be rendered moot once the results are certified.

Chief District Judge Richard Myers is now tasked with deciding on the preliminary injunction request, with a hearing potentially scheduled for early January. The legal challenge also questions the actions of a state elections board member, whose spouse’s legal troubles have added a layer of controversy to the board’s decision-making process.

This case has escalated tensions around election integrity in North Carolina, where the control of the state Supreme Court hangs in the balance. Republicans currently hold a 5-2 majority, and the outcome of this race could shift the court’s ideological balance. The North Carolina Democratic Party has responded by filing a separate federal lawsuit to ensure all votes are counted, highlighting the federal laws that protect voter eligibility despite missing registration data.

As the legal battle unfolds, this election dispute has become a focal point in discussions about voting rights, election administration, and the role of federal courts in state election matters. The outcome could set precedents for handling similar disputes in future elections, especially in closely contested races.