In a pivotal ruling, US District Judge Richard Myers has decreed that disputed ballots in the unresolved 2024 North Carolina supreme court race must be included in the final count, potentially securing a victory for Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs. The judge’s decision, if upheld, would thwart recent state appeals court directives to invalidate thousands of allegedly ineligible voter ballots. Myers emphasized that removing votes post-election would violate constitutional rights to due process and equal protection.

Following two recounts that confirmed Riggs as the winner by a slim margin of 734 votes over Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin, Myers ordered the state board of elections to certify the results promptly. However, the judge granted a seven-day window for Griffin to potentially appeal the ruling to the fourth US circuit court of appeals.

Riggs expressed confidence in the judicial outcome, asserting her commitment to upholding the constitution and rule of law as a North Carolina supreme court justice. Meanwhile, Griffin’s legal team is assessing their next steps in response to Myers’s order, which rebuffed attempts to retroactively alter voting laws in a manner that could disenfranchise specific voters.

The case, stemming from the nation’s last undecided race from the 2024 general election, has drawn attention to the complexities of ballot eligibility and the potential implications for electoral integrity. Democrats and voting rights advocates have decried Griffin’s actions as a threat to democracy, while Republicans argue for the importance of upholding election laws. The ruling underscores the significance of establishing and adhering to clear election rules to prevent post hoc challenges that may undermine public trust in the electoral process.