North Carolina Appeals Court Hears Arguments Over 2024 Supreme Court Election Dispute

Republican Jefferson Griffin seeks to invalidate over 65,000 ballots, challenging Democratic Justice Allison Riggs' narrow 734-vote victory.

A three-judge panel of the North Carolina Court of Appeals, consisting of two Republicans and one Democrat, heard arguments on Friday regarding the contested 2024 state Supreme Court election results.
Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin is challenging the validity of over 65,000 ballots, including those from overseas voters and registrations missing specific identification numbers, to overturn Democrat Allison Riggs' certified victory.
Riggs' legal team argues that the ballots were lawfully cast under established rules, emphasizing that retroactively changing election laws violates legal precedents like the Purcell principle.
The case has sparked concerns over voter disenfranchisement, judicial impartiality, and the precedent it could set for future elections, with critics highlighting its potential to destabilize election integrity in North Carolina.
No ruling was issued after the hearing, and the case is expected to advance to the state Supreme Court, where a potential deadlock could leave the appellate court's decision as final.