After a recount in the North Carolina Supreme Court election, incumbent Democrat Allison Riggs maintains a lead over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin by over 630 votes. The recount in 92 out of 100 counties has shown some discrepancies in the vote totals compared to the initial canvass after the Nov. 5 election. Riggs lost 73 votes while Griffin gained 18, resulting in a net gain of 91 votes for Griffin. Both candidates saw vote fluctuations in different counties during the recount.
The deadline for the recount was set for Wednesday, with the official vote totals from the recount determining the election results. Simultaneously, Griffin has filed challenges against 60,000 votes in the election. If Riggs emerges as the winner, the state’s highest court will retain its current judges and Republican majority. However, a Griffin win would shift the majority to a 6-1 Republican advantage.
Griffin, along with two other Republican candidates, filed a request for the state Supreme Court to accept an amicus brief in a related case concerning state rules on overseas voters. The candidates have pending election protests due to alleged irregularities in their races. The legal question regarding unlawful voting by non-residents in North Carolina is central to both the case and the election protests.
The outcome of both the recount and the legal challenges will have a significant impact on the election results and the composition of the state’s highest court. These developments underscore the importance of the ongoing legal proceedings in determining the final outcome of the election.
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