North Carolina Supreme Court race still too close to call a week later

Six days after Election Day, the lone North Carolina Supreme Court race remains too close to call.

Even though Republican Jefferson Griffin currently leads, Democrat incumbent Allison Riggs is still within striking distance.

Currently, just 0.14% or 7,641 votes separate the two. Griffin’s lead has shrunk slightly as absentee and provisional ballots continue to be counted.

While Griffin has not released a statement, Riggs posted an update to social media.

“My race for the NC Supreme Court remains too close to call,” she said. “In all candor, the path to victory is narrow. There are factors beyond our control. But canvassing and ballot curing efforts are underway and are worth doing, both to make sure every eligible vote is counted and for long-term infrastructure building.”

The ballot canvassing process in North Carolina continues until Nov. 15. In the meantime, Riggs says her team will continue to monitor results.

A recount is likely. In North Carolina, recounts for statewide races are allowed if the difference between the candidates is either less than 10,000 votes or 0.5% of votes cast, whichever is less. The current vote totals are well within that margin.

Experts have told The Center Square a recount is unlikely to change the outcome of the results, yet some are expressing concerns about glitches within the vote totals reported by the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Patrick Gannon, communications director for the board, said the issues will likely work themselves out by the end of the canvassing period.

“Comparing that data with the results at this point in the process is not going to result in an apples to apples comparison in any election,” he told The John Locke Foundation.

If Griffin wins the Supreme Court race, it would mark another substantial judicial win for Republicans.

In the all three state Court of Appeals races, Republicans Tom Murry, Valerie Zachary and Chris Freeman won. Those wins solidified the court as firmly conservative for the foreseeable future.

Should Griffin prevail through canvassing and a possible recount, only one Democrat will be on the seven-member bench. At the Court of Appeals, Republicans are in 12 of 15 seats.