The North Carolina appeals court’s decision in Republican challenges against incumbent Democratic Justice Allison Riggs’ victory in the state’s Supreme Court race last year is “like dropping a match in a really dry forest.,” she told Democracy Docket in an interview Friday.
“If we let this kind of anti-democratic effort take hold, we will not be able to contain it,” Riggs, who plans to appeal the decision to the North Carolina Supreme Court, said. “So this is a fight for the very soul of democracy.”
A three-judge panel — composed of two Republican judges and a Democratic judge — overturned a lower-court ruling dismissing the challenges. The panel also effectively disenfranchised around 60,000 people who voted in the court race by invalidating their vote unless they fix ballot or registration errors that were made by election officials.
Responses have been edited for style and clarity.
Justice Riggs, could you give people an update on how you see the ruling as the candidate?
Today’s decision was deeply misinformed and I will promptly appeal it. But I want folks to know, I think this fight ends in federal court. I’ve been telling people that all along.
I have been very careful in my state court participation to make sure that all of the parties and all of the courts know that I reserve all of my rights to go fight this fight in federal court, to vindicate the federal rights that voters have under federal law and the federal Constitution. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy and I knew this wasn’t going to end quickly.
What I can tell you is, as someone who understands the history and the people who have bled and died for the precious right to vote, I stand on their shoulders. I did as a former voting rights attorney. I do now as a judicial officer. And I took an oath, a solemn oath to defend the constitutional rights of the people who participate in the political process here in North Carolina.
I will not give an inch. I will continue to stand up for voters and stand in the way.