Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• North Carolina Supreme Court temporarily stayed the Court of Appeals ruling — On Monday, April 7, 2025, the North Carolina Supreme Court temporarily stayed the Court of Appeals' ruling that would have invalidated 60,000 ballots to consider Democrat Allison Riggs' appeal. Riggs, who won the November 2024 election and should already be months into her first full term, will recuse herself from the case, leaving Republicans with a 5-1 majority on the court. The stay prevents immediate disenfranchisement of voters while the case proceeds to the state's highest court.
• Jefferson Griffin filed and pursued ballot challenges violating the Purcell principle — Republican Jefferson Griffin, who lost the November 2024 North Carolina Supreme Court election to Democrat Allison Riggs by 734 votes, spent five months attempting to overturn the election by challenging over 60,000 ballots. Griffin recycled arguments previously rejected by a Trump-appointed federal judge before the election, violating the Purcell principle—a federal election doctrine prohibiting courts from altering election rules directly before, during, or after an election. Griffin's post-election challenges sought to disenfranchise voters based on missing driver's license or Social Security numbers on registration forms and military/overseas voters, despite no evidence of ineligibility.
• North Carolina Republican Party sent postcards with QR codes to notify voters of ballot challenges — The North Carolina Republican Party sent postcards to voters whose ballots were being challenged by Jefferson Griffin, instructing them to scan a QR code for additional information rather than providing direct notice of the quasi-judicial election protest. The postcards did not identify a protestor or campaign committee, provided no forwarding address, and directed voters to a partisan website containing dozens of challenges and thousands of names not listed alphabetically. A dissenting Court of Appeals judge noted that forcing voters to possess technological means and trust to scan an anonymous QR code and navigate a partisan website cannot be considered reasonably calculated to notify affected voters.
• North Carolina State Board of Elections rejected Griffin's ballot challenges — The North Carolina State Board of Elections, which has a Democratic majority, rejected Jefferson Griffin's claims that over 60,000 ballots cast in the November 2024 Supreme Court election were invalid. Griffin had filed legal challenges against these ballots, primarily targeting voters whose registration forms lacked a driver's license or Social Security number, as well as military and overseas voters. The Board's rejection was the first official action to defend the election result against Griffin's post-election challenges.
• North Carolina Supreme Court stays Court of Appeals ruling in Riggs-Griffin election dispute — The North Carolina Supreme Court placed a stay on the Court of Appeals' ruling that would have required notification and cure procedures for 60,000 voters with incomplete registrations. The stay halts implementation of the lower court's order while the state Supreme Court reconsiders the case. Based on prior rulings by the justices, a 3-3 deadlock is described as the best-case scenario for incumbent Justice Riggs; if a deadlock occurs, the Court of Appeals ruling would stand.
• North Carolina Court of Appeals orders notification and cure period for 60,000 voters with incomplete registrations in Riggs-Griffin Supreme Court race — The North Carolina Court of Appeals, in a decision by judges Fred Gore and John Tyson, ruled in favor of Republican Jefferson Griffin's challenge to Justice Allison Riggs' narrow November 2024 election victory. The court ordered election officials to notify approximately 60,000 voters that their registrations were incomplete and gave them 15 days to complete their registrations if they want their ballots to count. The dissent characterized the ruling as "mass disenfranchisement." Riggs appealed to the state Supreme Court, which placed the ruling on hold pending reconsideration.
• North Carolina Supreme Court orders overseas voters to prove eligibility or face ballot discard — The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled that thousands of overseas voters, including military members, must prove their eligibility within 30 days or have their votes retroactively discarded in a state supreme court race won by Democrat Allison Riggs by 734 votes. The court dismissed challenges to 60,000 other voters but upheld the requirement for overseas voters. Justice Anita Earls dissented, arguing the decision amounts to overturning a valid election. Riggs announced plans to challenge the ruling in federal court.
• North Carolina Supreme Court orders overseas voters to prove eligibility, threatening election results — The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled on April 11 that overseas voters must prove their eligibility within 30 days or have their votes discarded, potentially overturning Democratic Justice Allison Riggs's November 2024 election victory by 734 votes. The ruling followed a Republican opponent's challenge to over 65,000 ballots cast by voters who had followed all existing state rules. Riggs has petitioned federal court to intervene, arguing the post-election rule change violates the Constitution and federal law protecting military and overseas voters.
• Jefferson Griffin challenges Alison Riggs' North Carolina Supreme Court election win — Jefferson Griffin filed a legal challenge to Alison Riggs' victory in the North Carolina Supreme Court election. The challenge prompted calls for voters to verify whether their votes were challenged and to contact county Boards of Elections. Pro-democracy organizations including Common Cause NC mobilized to defend the election certification in court.