North Carolina Supreme Court Election To Be Certified After Federal Judge Sides with Democrat Allison Riggs
The North Carolina Supreme Court election has officially been decided after a federal judge mandated the certification of Democrat Allison Riggs as the rightful winner of the 2024 judicial contest. The ruling, issued on May 5, 2025, by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, dismissed Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin’s efforts to overturn the results by disqualifying tens of thousands of ballots.
Background of the Dispute In The North Carolina Supreme Court Election
Held on November 5, 2024, the North Carolina Supreme Court election was among the most contentious in recent state history. Justice Riggs secured a narrow win over Griffin—by just 734 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast statewide.
Griffin responded with a legal challenge contesting approximately 65,000 ballots. His objections fell into three categories:
Ballots from voters with incomplete registration details
Ballots from military and overseas voters lacking photo ID
Ballots from overseas citizens who had never resided in North Carolina but whose parents are state residents
Critics noted that Griffin’s challenges were largely focused on Democratic-leaning counties, raising alarms about possible partisan targeting.
Legal Proceedings and Judicial Oversight
Initially, Griffin’s claims were rejected by both the North Carolina State Board of Elections and Wake County Superior Court. But the North Carolina Court of Appeals later ruled that certain ballots required a “cure process,” allowing voters to verify eligibility.
The North Carolina Supreme Court election was further reviewed by the state’s highest court, which upheld most ballots but did require additional steps for military and overseas voters. Still unsatisfied, Griffin escalated the case to federal court.
On May 5, 2025, Judge Myers ruled that Griffin’s efforts to change election rules retroactively violated constitutional protections. His decision emphasized that altering the rules post-election threatened voters’ due process and equal protection rights.
“The integrity of the electoral process must be preserved—not undermined by attempts to shift the rules after votes are cast,” wrote Judge Myers in his opinion.
Certification and Appeal Window
Judge Myers ordered the North Carolina Supreme Court election results to be certified immediately based on the original tally, officially naming Riggs the winner. However, enforcement of the ruling has been paused for seven days to allow time for appeals.
The decision brings temporary closure to a high-stakes election battle that captured national attention.
