Riggs Will ‘Promptly’ Appeal Ruling That Helps GOP Opponent In His Effort To Steal The Election

In a 2-1 decision Friday, a North Carolina Court of Appeals sided with ​​Republican state Supreme Court candidate and Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin in an ongoing legal battle over the results of the state’s Supreme Court race, ruling that thousands of ballots in the November 2024 race may have been counted illegally. 

The appeals court also ordered the state Board of Elections to do a recount of the challenged votes. It has conducted two recounts already — one partial and one full recount — both of which confirmed the Democratic incumbent’s victory. 

The ruling may disenfranchise over 65,000 voters and could threaten Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs’s narrow victory in the race. The decision, the latest in a larger months-long legal saga over the certification of the November 2024 race, is a major win for Griffin and his bid to overturn the results of a fair election that Riggs narrowly won. 

Riggs confirmed in a statement on Friday that she will appeal the decision. 

“We will be promptly appealing this deeply misinformed decision that threatens to disenfranchise more than 65,000 lawful voters and sets a dangerous precedent, allowing disappointed politicians to thwart the will of the people,” Riggs said.

 “North Carolinians elected me to keep my seat and I swore an oath to the Constitution and the rule of law — so I will continue to stand up for the rights of voters in this state and stand in the way of those who would take power from the people,” she added. 

In response to the decision, Anderson Clayton, Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, wrote on X that the “The NCGOP and RNC are trying to steal an election and test the waters for future election denial.”

“This decision ultimately, will be appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court now. Where Republicans maintain a 5-2 majority. (And since Justice Riggs recused herself, it’s a 5-1 majority.) NC voters will see just how corrupt the State Supreme Court (is) when they rule on this case,” added Clayton. 

Riggs won November’s election by a narrow margin of just over 700 votes.

 In response, Griffin requested two separate recounts, and filed baseless challenges over  the eligibility of more than 60,000 ballots in an effort to steal the election from Riggs. The ongoing legal battle and the delay to certify the election centers around Griffin’s attempt to invalidate these ballots over mostly debunked registration issues. 

A statewide recount and a partial hand-to-eye recount have already affirmed Riggs’ victory. 

Voting rights groups, election experts, and Democratic state lawmakers have repeatedly criticized Griffin’s attempt to throw out 65,000 votes over registration issues, describing the move as a blatant attempt to steal a fair election. 

Elections experts have also confirmed to TPM that any registration issues, such as the ones alleged by Griffin, would have been resolved years before the election, and not after the election. 

According to Friday’s ruling, the close to 65,000 voters who are in danger of having their ballots thrown out will have 15 days to verify their ballots before they are deemed ineligible.