North Carolina Supreme Court Rules Most Challenged Ballots Must Be Counted in Tight Race

The court partially overturned a lower court decision, leaving Democratic candidate Allison Riggs ahead by 734 votes in the unresolved election.

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that tens of thousands of challenged ballots must remain in the election count, reversing part of a prior Court of Appeals decision.
Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin had contested over 65,000 ballots, but the court found that most of these votes were valid due to errors by election officials, not voters.
The court upheld the exclusion of some ballots, allowing voters in these categories an opportunity to provide photo identification to ensure their votes are counted.
Democratic candidate Allison Riggs continues to lead by 734 votes in the still-undecided race, with over 5.5 million ballots cast.
Riggs has recused herself from the court's deliberations, and further legal challenges, potentially including federal court appeals, remain possible.