North Carolina Supreme Court rules on contested election ballots

The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled on Friday regarding the election challenge from Judge Jefferson Griffin against incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, potentially affecting the outcome of the November 2024 contest, where Riggs won by only 734 votes. The court decided to count more than 60,000 contested ballots while allowing the disqualification of around 300 ballots from military and overseas voters unless they submit identification within 30 days. This ruling partially reverses a previous appeals court order and has sparked dissent among justices, with some expressing concerns about the implications for election integrity. Griffin's legal challenges have persisted since the election, and he has argued that many ballots were cast by voters lacking required identification information. The ruling has drawn criticism from Riggs, who stated it unfairly disenfranchises voters, particularly military personnel. The decision is expected to lead to a re-tabulation of votes to determine if Riggs or Griffin ultimately wins the seat.