The ruling concerns November’s Supreme Court race between Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs and GOP Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin. While Allison was declared the victor by 734 votes, Griffin challenged the result. He argued roughly 65,000 people were ineligible to vote because they didn’t have a driver’s license or Social Security number on their file or voted overseas but did not provide photo identification, violating the law.
Previously, the Democrat-led state Board of Elections and the Wake County Superior Court rejected Griffin’s arguments, before the North Carolina Court of Appeals ordered an eligibility inquiry into all 65,000 votes last week, giving voters 15 days to prove they are citizens. On Monday, the day the inquiry was set to begin, the state’s Supreme Court halted the inquiry as it considers an appeal from Riggs.
The ruling was a surprise to some, as the North Carolina Supreme Court has a 5-1 conservative majority, not including Riggs. Riggs recused herself from the case, while Griffin recused himself when the state’s Court of Appeals heard the case.
Riggs spokeswoman Dory MacMillan praised the ruling in a Monday statement to the New York Times.
“We will continue to pursue this appeal and are committed to ensuring that power stays in the hands of voters — not politicians,” she said.
NORTH CAROLINA COURT GIVES 60,000 VOTERS 15 DAYS TO PROVE ELIGIBILITY IN WIN FOR GOP CANDIDATE
In a Friday statement after the state Court of Appeals ruling, Riggs denounced the decision as “deeply misinformed” and one that would set a “dangerous precedent.”
If Griffin ultimately triumphs in the court battle, he is likely to win the election, as most of the 65,000 suspect votes come from mostly Democratic counties.
