GOP Candidate Concedes to Dem Allison Riggs in NC Court Race/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Republican Jefferson Griffin conceded the long-disputed 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race to Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs after a federal judge ruled disputed ballots must be counted. Riggs leads by 734 votes out of over 5.5 million cast. The decision ends the last undecided race of the 2024 general election.
North Carolina Supreme Court Concession Quick Looks
- Republican Jefferson Griffin concedes to Democrat Allison Riggs after federal ruling.
- U.S. District Judge Richard Myers ordered certification of results.
- Riggs wins by 734 votes out of 5.5 million ballots.
- Griffin declines to appeal; court gives seven-day delay for review.
- Griffin initially challenged up to 65,000 ballots, later narrowed to 1,675–7,000.
- Disputed ballots largely from overseas and military voters.
- Judge ruled removing ballots would violate constitutional protections.
- Riggs’ win strengthens Democratic hopes for future court majority.
- Griffin says he respects the ruling despite disagreement.
Deep Look: GOP Concedes Disputed North Carolina Supreme Court Race After Federal Court Ruling
The final unresolved race of the 2024 general election has come to a close. Republican Jefferson Griffin conceded on Wednesday to Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs in the contentious North Carolina Supreme Court election, following a federal court order that upheld the inclusion of thousands of previously disputed ballots.
Griffin’s concession came two days after U.S. District Judge Richard Myers ruled that the ballots Griffin aimed to exclude must remain part of the final certified vote total. The State Board of Elections was ordered to certify the results showing Riggs winning by a margin of 734 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast.
Although Griffin expressed disagreement with the ruling, he stated in a written statement provided to the Associated Press that he would not appeal the decision.
“While I do not fully agree with the District Court’s analysis, I respect the court’s holding — just as I have respected every judicial tribunal that has heard this case,” said Griffin. “I will not appeal the court’s decision.”
Riggs Secures Eight-Year Term
With Griffin’s concession, Riggs secures a full eight-year term on the North Carolina Supreme Court. She is one of only two Democrats currently serving on the seven-member court. Her victory offers Democrats a crucial foothold as they aim to retake a majority in future elections.
Griffin, a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals whose term runs until 2028, acknowledged the close nature of the race and extended best wishes to his opponent.
“I wish my opponent the best and will continue to pray for her and all the members of our court system,” he said.
Final Legal Ruling Blocks Griffin’s Challenge
Judge Myers, a Trump appointee, ruled that Griffin’s post-election efforts to disqualify ballots would violate the due process and equal protection rights of voters. While Griffin initially filed protests involving more than 65,000 ballots, legal challenges eventually narrowed the dispute to two specific categories, impacting as few as 1,675 ballots and as many as 7,000.
The bulk of the disputed ballots came from military and overseas voters who failed to include photo identification or an exception form with their absentee ballots. Courts allowed a 30-day cure process to remedy the ID issue, which Myers ruled was part of the lawful process in 2024 and could not be retroactively changed.
“You establish the rules before the game. You don’t change them after the game is done,” Myers wrote in his decision.
A second category involved ballots cast by individuals living overseas who had never resided in the U.S. themselves but whose parents were North Carolina residents. A state law permitted these individuals to vote in state elections. However, state courts later found that law to be unconstitutional. Myers said denying these voters due process to challenge their disqualification posed “an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote.”
Democratic and Voting Rights Advocates Celebrate Ruling
Riggs and her supporters argued that Griffin’s legal challenge targeted Democratic-leaning counties and would have set a dangerous precedent. Voting rights advocates called the lawsuit an attempted “blueprint” for overturning elections and undermining voter confidence.
Despite the ruling, Griffin defended his actions as an effort to enforce electoral integrity.
“My legal efforts were always about upholding the rule of law and making sure that every legal vote in an election is counted,” he said. He also emphasized that the state appeals court rulings confirmed that the State Board of Elections did not fully comply with election law or the state constitution.
“These holdings are very significant for securing our state’s elections,” he concluded.
With this concession, the 2024 election cycle is officially closed, and Riggs is set to continue her work on North Carolina’s highest court—carrying with her the momentum of a hard-fought legal and electoral victory.
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