For six long months, Jefferson Griffin and his Republican allies have attacked lawful North Carolina voters through baseless lawsuit after baseless lawsuit, in an attempt to steal a Supreme Court seat from the rightful winner, Justice Allison Riggs. Today, a federal judge appointed by Donald Trump ordered the certification of Justice Allison Riggs’ election, rejecting months of Republicans machinations to “change the rules of the game after it had been played.”

In response, DNC Chair Ken Martin issued the following statement:

“Today’s order from a Trump-appointed chief U.S. District Court judge must bring an end – once and for all – to Republicans’ attempts to overturn a free and fair election and disenfranchise lawful North Carolina voters months after they cast their ballots. Allison Riggs won this election. Today’s decision is a victory for the tens of thousands of North Carolinians targeted by disgraced candidate Jefferson Griffin and Republicans in suit after baseless suit. It’s a victory for voters across the state. Since November 2024, the nation has watched the North Carolina Supreme Court race, dreading the ramifications for our democracy should Republicans prevail in their scheme to steal an election. People decide elections – not politicians. Today, a Trump-appointed judge confirmed what North Carolinians have known since Election Day: Justice Allison Riggs belongs on the state Supreme Court as voters already decided in the 2024 election.”

BREAKING: A Trump-appointed federal judge just ruled that Justice Allison Riggs’ election to the North Carolina Supreme Court must be certified. 

Charlotte Observer: “Federal judge orders NC to certify Riggs as winner in Supreme Court election”

“In his 68-page ruling, Myers said Griffin and the North Carolina Republican Party’s unprecedented effort to challenge over 65,000 ballots presented an unconstitutional burden on the right to vote. 

“‘This case concerns whether the federal Constitution permits a state to alter the rules of an election after the fact and apply those changes retroactively to only a select group of voters, and in so doing treat those voters differently than other similarly situated individuals,’ he wrote. ‘This case is also about whether a state may redefine its class of eligible voters but offer no process to those who may have been misclassified as ineligible. 

“‘To this court, the answer to each of those questions is no.’ 

“Riggs’ win has been blocked for months as Griffin’s case has wound its way through state and federal courts. 

“In April, the state Supreme Court threw out Griffin’s largest challenge, but ruled that potentially thousands of military and overseas voters would have to prove their eligibility during a 30-day ballot review process, known as a ‘cure period.’ Several hundred other voters challenged over their residency status would’ve had their votes canceled without the chance to cure them. Myers’ decision, if it stands, means that the cure period will not begin and no votes will be discarded.”