Over 60,000 North Carolina Ballots Disputed: What’s at Stake in the Supreme Court Race?

Race Day Live  A federal appeals panel on Monday took up the unresolved North Carolina Supreme Court race between Republican Jefferson Griffin and Democrat Allison Riggs.

The race remains contentious as Griffin is challenging over 60,000 ballots from the November election, casting a shadow over the outcome.

This hearing followed the state Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss Griffin’s request for an expedited ruling.

However, a temporary stay issued earlier prevented the State Board of Elections from certifying Riggs as the official winner. The ballots in question include many from voters in the Cape Fear region.

One such voter, Karen Ipock Hodgin from New Hanover County, expressed her disbelief. “I showed my ID, verified my address, and everything seemed fine.

Why is my vote being questioned now?” she asked. Hodgin, who discovered her name on the disputed list through a friend’s social media post, said it was the first time her vote had ever been questioned in decades of voting.

The close race shows Riggs leading by a narrow margin of 734 votes. Griffin is urging the state’s highest court to discard the disputed ballots, citing various reasons, including allegations that some votes came from individuals not properly registered.

Shelly Allen, Chair of the Brunswick County Democratic Party, criticized Griffin’s actions. “It’s corrupt and dishonest. He’s being a sore loser after losing multiple times,” she said.

Allen also accused Griffin of selectively targeting mail-in and overseas ballots, calling it an attack on democratic principles.

Democratic groups, including Allen’s, are now circulating the list of challenged voters to inform North Carolinians.

For Hodgin and others on the list, the uncertainty is frustrating. “If people start questioning whether their votes matter, they might stop voting altogether,” Hodgin said.

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The state’s Supreme Court, currently composed of five Republicans and two Democrats, faces mounting pressure.

Riggs, one of the two Democrats, has recused herself from the decision-making process regarding the contested ballots.

The controversy highlights growing concerns about voter confidence and the integrity of elections in the state.

Whether Griffin’s claims will hold in court remains to be seen, but for voters like Hodgin, the ordeal has already left its mark.

“Voting should be straightforward, not something that makes you wonder if your voice will even count,” she said.

With the final decision yet to be made, all eyes remain on North Carolina’s judiciary to determine the fate of these ballots and, by extension, the outcome of this closely contested race.

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