Court Halts Certification of Pembroke Mayoral Race Amid Legal Challenge
Pembroke, North Carolina – In a significant legal decision, three Republican judges from the North Carolina Court of Appeals have issued an order blocking the certification of the controversial 2023 mayoral race in Pembroke. This ruling came after incumbent Mayor Greg Cummings, an unaffiliated candidate, sought a writ of supersedeas to challenge election results that showed him losing to Democrat Allen Dial by a mere 19 votes.
The unanimous panel, composed of Judges Julee Flood, Michael Stading, and Thomas Murry, issued the order after a lower court had allowed election officials to certify Dial’s victory. The Appeals Court expedited the process, aiming to resolve Cummings’ complaint promptly.
Cummings, who has continued to serve as mayor during this ongoing legal battle, claims voter eligibility issues affected the election outcome. His appeal follows a trial court order that upheld the State Board of Elections’ ruling against him. Dial’s attorney has argued that Cummings has failed to identify legal errors in the trial court’s findings, asserting that only one voter was deemed ineligible by the Robeson County Board of Elections.
The Elections Board dismissed Cummings’ appeal earlier this year, leading to Dial intervening in the court dispute. Cummings contends that the election boards acted arbitrarily and asserts that extraordinary circumstances merit the writ. He claims that the status quo must be preserved to ensure fairness during the appeal.
As the Court of Appeals prepares to further examine the case, the outcome could reshape the political landscape in Pembroke, where this is not the first electoral dispute involving Cummings and Dial. With the court’s review underway, both candidates are poised for a potentially decisive legal showdown.
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