By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
The race for North Carolina’s Supreme Court between Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs and Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin is going to a recount. With 5.5 million ballots cast, Riggs leads by just 625 votes, or 0.01%, after the final votes were tallied from several counties.
As of Tuesday afternoon, all ballots appear to be in— Forsyth and Duplin were the ones left to be fully certified. Despite Riggs’ slight advantage, due to the margin being under 1,000 votes, Griffin has called for a recount. This closely watched contest will decide the ideological balance of North Carolina’s Supreme Court, which currently has a 5-2 Republican majority.
Recounts are not unusual in North Carolina’s high-stakes races. In 2016, the state saw a recount for the position of state auditor, which resulted in a net gain of 49 votes for Democrats. Similarly, in 2020, a recount for a Supreme Court race resulted in a net gain of just five votes for Democrats. This history suggests that while Griffin’s deficit is small, it is unlikely to be enough to overturn the result.
Riggs, who is seeking a second term, had pulled ahead of Griffin after provisional ballots were counted, flipping the race in her favor. Initially, Griffin had led by about 10,000 votes on Election Night, but the final tally of absentee and provisional ballots gradually shifted the balance.
Griffin and the North Carolina Republican Party have been vocal in their criticisms of the election process, filing a lawsuit against the State Board of Elections (NCSBE) on Monday. The lawsuit alleges that the board had failed to promptly fulfill records requests for data that could potentially form the basis of an election protest or challenge. Specifically, Griffin requested information on absentee ballots, voters suspected of voting twice, and lists of individuals with felony convictions or deceased voters.
The lawsuit, however, has been dismissed by NCSBE spokesperson Pat Gannon, who argued that the agency had already informed Griffin’s campaign that the requested data would be provided before the lawsuit was filed.
The recount will proceed as part of the normal election process, with a deadline for completion by November 26, when the state certifies its election results. Riggs, in a statement on social media, acknowledged that recounts are a routine part of the electoral process and emphasized the importance of transparency in maintaining public confidence in the system.
“Recounts are a normal electoral process that allow for transparency and promote public confidence in our electoral systems,” Riggs wrote on X. “I’m grateful for your continued support, and for the time and dedication of our election workers across the state. This is what democracy looks like.”
If Riggs maintains her lead after the recount, she will secure a second term on the court and prevent Republicans from expanding their majority. The next opportunity for Democrats to flip the court will come in 2028 when three Republican justices are up for reelection.
Democrats have reason for optimism, as the tight race reflects a broader trend of increasing support for their candidates, particularly in light of recent controversial decisions by the state’s high court that have drawn criticism from conservatives.
Despite Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump winning the state with 51% of the vote, Democrats managed to secure key statewide offices, including Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, and State Superintendent of Education. North Carolina saw one of the smallest shifts toward the Republican Party in the nation this election cycle.
However, Republicans also have reason to be optimistic: they won several Council of State races, including State Auditor, Commissioner of Agriculture, and Insurance Commissioner, and perhaps most notably, they swept all of the Appellate Court races on the ballot.
In addition to the Supreme Court race, several other contests are also heading for recounts, including a closely contested race for a state House seat. Republican Rep. Frank Sossamon has requested a recount in his race against Democrat Bryan Cohn in House District 32, which stretches from north of Raleigh to the Virginia state line. With only a 233-vote margin between the two, this race has the potential to shift the balance of power in the state legislature.
There are more than 10 races in North Carolina where recounts have been requested in the 2024 General Election. As of Tuesday, recounts have also been requested for two NC House seats and two NC Senate seats.
With recounts on the horizon and legal challenges underway, North Carolinians can expect uncertainty before the final results of these high-stakes elections are certified. As the race for North Carolina’s Supreme Court drags into the final stretch, it serves as a reminder of the importance of every single vote in determining the future direction of the state’s political and legal trajectory.
The political fallout from this race will undoubtedly be felt for years to come, especially as the state looks ahead to future elections that could shift the court’s balance once again.
