RALEIGH, N.C. — Republican Judge Jefferson Griffin has officially conceded the 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court race to Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, concluding a contentious six-month legal dispute over the election’s outcome. Griffin’s concession follows a federal court ruling that mandated the certification of Riggs’ victory, effectively ending efforts to invalidate thousands of ballots.
The election, held on November 5, 2024, was decided by a razor-thin margin, with Riggs leading by 734 votes out of more than 5.5 million cast. Despite two recounts affirming this result, Griffin challenged the validity of approximately 65,000 ballots, citing issues such as incomplete voter registration information and the inclusion of votes from military and overseas voters lacking photo identification.
Griffin’s legal challenges were met with resistance from both state and federal courts. In early May, U.S. District Judge Richard Myers ruled that discarding the contested ballots would violate voters’ constitutional rights, emphasizing that changing election rules post-election was impermissible. Following this decision, Griffin announced he would not pursue further appeals, stating his respect for the court’s verdict.
Justice Riggs, appointed to the Supreme Court in 2023 by Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, will now serve a full eight-year term. Her victory maintains a Democratic presence on a court currently holding a Republican majority, a dynamic that could influence future rulings on critical issues such as redistricting and voting rights.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections is scheduled to officially certify the election results on May 13, 2025.
Griffin’s concession marks the conclusion of the final unresolved race from the 2024 election cycle, bringing closure to a prolonged and highly scrutinized electoral contest.