Over the past decade, North Carolina’s part-time legislature’s sessions have become longer and longer, with this year’s 199 day session claiming the record for longest.
The lawsuits claim that lines are so skewed for GOP candidates that many Black voters cannot elect their preferred candidates, violating the Voting Rights Act. They allege the mapmakers at times submerged or spread out Black voting blocs, which historically have favored Democrats, into surrounding districts with White majorities — benefiting Republicans.
Stein called the legislation a “threat to democracy,” suing to block both sections of the bill. Both suits are pending in state courts, but in the meantime, the North Carolina State Board of Elections is under new Republican leadership.
Griffin’s concession comes after a federal judge ordered North Carolina election officials to confirm the victory of Justice Allison Riggs on the state Supreme Court. U.S. District Judge Richard Myers, appointed to the bench by Trump, ruled that all of the ballots challenged by Judge Jefferson Griffin must count and ordered the State Board of Elections to certify the results that Allison Riggs won.
“Changing the rules after the election to throw out the votes of tens of thousands of North Carolinians who followed all of the rules is a travesty. Jefferson Griffin’s neverending legal assault is undermining people’s faith in elections and the courts. He lost and should concede.” Gov. Josh Stein wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
While North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis launched his 2026 reelection campaign with a fundraiser at the Carolina Country Club, more than 100 protesters gathered outside,
“What that means is the person nominated to run Medicare believes it’s acceptable not to contribute to Social Security and Medicare like nurses and firefighters do with every paycheck,” said Sen. Ron Wyden.
“Protect the legitimate ballots cast by over 65,000 North Carolinians, including those of our fellow service members and military families – we’re urging the North Carolina Court of Appeals to step up with us to protect the rule of law, to protect the rights of our fellow citizens and their desire to participate in our democracy and to protect our Constitution.”
“Judge Griffin’s insistence on throwing out over 65,000 votes disregards the will of the people in service of a political power grab,” stated Kristi Graunke, legal director of the ACLU of North Carolina, in a press release. “Our judicial system is dependent on respecting the will of the people in choosing their judges. The ongoing effort to disqualify the ballots of eligible voters undermines the constitutional guarantee that ‘political power is vested in and derived from the people.’ North Carolina voters have spoken, it is time to respect their choice and move on.”
“We are protesting that he is holding this up,” Cathy Walsh with Common Cause NC, told WLOS. “It has cost thousands of dollars for each of the 100 counties in the state, the number of hours that have been wasted, it’s just disgraceful.”