Fight to keep military votes in NC court election, Allison Riggs urges after ruling
North Carolina Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs says she will not give up her fight to keep ballots from being thrown out because of her opponent’s challenges to the election results, even after a court ruling narrowed the number of votes in jeopardy.
Riggs addressed supporters in Raleigh’s Bicentennial Plaza on Monday morning to oppose a ruling that could mean the votes of thousands of military and overseas voters will be tossed.
Riggs defeated N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin by 734 votes in November’s election but, in the five months since, the Republican challenger has contested the election results and more than 65,000 votes.
Earlier this month, the Court of Appeals ruled that challenged voters had 15 days to prove their eligibility, or else the votes would be tossed.This decision was partially overturned by the state Supreme Court on Friday, which ruled that the vast majority of the 65,000 votes challenged were safe. Still, some military and overseas voters must provide a photo ID within a 30-day window to avoid their ballots being tossed. Riggs and her supporters estimated 5,500 voters are in that category.
“It is no more acceptable to only disenfranchise a few thousand people instead of 65,000 people,” Riggs said to supporters on Monday.
She was joined by state Sen. Val Applewhite, a fellow Democrat whose district includes Fort Bragg. Applewhite said it is unfair that those in the service and their families stand to have their ballots tossed.
“They are trying to disenfranchise our active duty service members,” she said.
Alex Rich, an Air Force veteran of 11 years, spoke at Monday’s event and said he voted by mail during his service. “I can’t tell you what it feels like to think about that vote being taken away.”
“It’s hard enough to vote when you’re in the military,” Rich said.
He added that service members and their families often don’t know where they will be deployed, so voting by mail is often necessary.
The state Republican Party has joined Griffin in his challenge and argued they are fighting for election integrity.
“The decision today brings this election one step closer to a conclusion ensuring every legal vote will be counted,” NC GOP spokesperson Matt Mercer said in a statement Friday.
A federal judge ruled Saturday that the 30-day “cure” period for military and overseas ballots, as ordered by the state Supreme Court, could proceed.
On Monday, the League of Women Voters filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block the cure period from taking effect.
“Those who get first in line to serve our country should not be the first in line to have their votes tossed,” Riggs said. “This ruling can not stand and we will fight it tooth and nail.”
This story was originally published April 14, 2025 at 2:19 PM.