Overview

• Democratic Justice Allison Riggs won the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court election by 734 votes, a result confirmed by two recounts.
• Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin is contesting the results, seeking to invalidate 65,000 ballots from predominantly Democratic counties through retroactive rule changes.
• The North Carolina Court of Appeals, with a three-judge panel including two Republicans and one Democrat, heard arguments on March 21, 2025, but has not yet issued a decision.
• The Southern Coalition for Social Justice has argued that invalidating these ballots would disproportionately disenfranchise voters of color, violating democratic principles.
• Legal experts and over 200 professionals have criticized Griffin's challenge, emphasizing the Purcell principle, which discourages post-election rule changes, and warning of its precedent for undermining election integrity.