North Carolina Supreme Court temporarily halts order for 60,000 challenged voters to prove eligibility

Kyle Ingram, The Charlotte Observer on Apr 7, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Supreme Court on Monday temporarily blocked a ruling that would have given over 60,000 voters 15 days to prove their eligibility or risk having their votes thrown out — potentially flipping the results in a contested race for the high court.

The ruling is the latest development in Republican Jefferson Griffin’s attempt to overturn his narrow loss in the 2024 Supreme Court race to Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs, a battle that has now persisted over five months past the election.

The order, signed by Justice Trey Allen, a Republican, came without comment.

It comes just three days after a divided Court of Appeals panel ruled in Griffin’s favor, ordering an unprecedented cure period for most of the voters caught up in the Republicans’ sweeping challenge.

Riggs and the State Board of Elections quickly appealed the ruling and asked the Supreme Court for a temporary stay to halt the cure period from taking effect.

“Judge Griffin did not request this cure process. And the Court of Appeals cites no precedent — from any court in North Carolina or elsewhere — to support such an initiative nearly half a year after an election,” an attorney for Riggs wrote in legal filings. “Worse, the Court of Appeals’ ruling is destined to disenfranchise thousands of North Carolinians, denying them due process and equal protection under North Carolina law.”

Griffin did not object to the request for a stay. However, his lawyers did note that he would object to the Supreme Court taking up the case.

Monday’s order did not indicate whether the Supreme Court would ultimately review Griffin’s case in full. But in the meantime, the Court of Appeals’ decision will be halted and the 15-day cure period will not begin.

The Supreme Court is composed of five Republicans and two Democrats. But Riggs, who remains on the court while the dispute plays out, has recused herself from the case.

With an even number of justices left, there is a possibility for the court to reach a 3-3 deadlock on Griffin’s case. If that happens, the most recent decision of a lower court prevails — which would be the Court of Appeals’ decision in Griffin’s favor.

However, Riggs has said that she plans to take the case to federal court if she loses at the state level.

_____