“Uncovering Voter Suppression: The Fight Over Military Ballots in North Carolina”
In a recent development in North Carolina, Jefferson Griffin, a Republican judge on the state’s Court of Appeals, is seeking to overturn the results of a state Supreme Court election that did not go in his favor. Griffin, who previously served in the Army National Guard, voted in North Carolina elections using military absentee ballots in 2019 and 2020.
Since Democrat Allison Riggs won reelection to the state’s highest court by a narrow margin of 734 votes, Griffin has been attempting to nullify her victory. He recently filed a legal petition asking the state Supreme Court to disqualify the votes of around 5,500 people who voted using military absentee ballots, similar to how he had voted in the past.
Griffin’s legal argument revolves around the requirement for overseas and military voters to provide photo identification when casting their ballots. He contends that ballots cast without such identification should not be counted. However, this position contradicts the state election board’s rule that such voters are not obligated to provide an ID.
ProPublica confirmed Griffin’s use of military ballots through publicly available voting data and documents obtained via an open records request. Griffin’s legal challenge focuses on disqualifying UOCAVA ballots in heavily Democratic counties, while ignoring ballots from Republican areas, raising concerns about voter suppression.
The issue of the 5,500 UOCAVA ballots has become a focal point in the legal battle, with Griffin asserting that excluding these votes would lead to his victory in the election. However, the state election board and a federal judge have rejected Griffin’s claims regarding the necessity of photo ID for UOCAVA voters.
Griffin’s efforts to have the matter heard directly by the state Supreme Court, where a Republican majority presides, instead of going through lower courts as per standard procedure, have raised questions about the fairness of the legal process. The outcome of this election dispute will have significant implications for voting rights and election integrity in North Carolina.
As the legal proceedings continue, voting rights advocates and veterans groups have criticized Griffin’s actions, emphasizing the importance of upholding the right to vote for all Americans, including military members and their families. The case remains unresolved, with briefings and oral arguments scheduled in both state and federal courts in the coming weeks.
The controversy surrounding the Griffin-Riggs election serves as a critical test of the electoral process and the protection of voting rights in North Carolina. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.