Election officials in North Carolina are preparing for a recount in the tight Supreme Court associate justice race. Republican candidate Jefferson G. Griffin requested the recount, as he trails Democratic opponent Allison Riggs by just 625 votes. The process will begin today, according to a North Carolina State Board of Elections release.
A recount is triggered in North Carolina when the margin is within 10,000 votes, which applies in this case. Karen Brinson Bell, Executive Director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, stated, "Recounts are a regular part of the elections process when contests are close, and they help ensure that the results are accurate and that the public can have confidence that the candidate who received the most votes wins the election," in the same release.
The recount will be carried out by bipartisan teams and will be open to public observation, ensuring both transparency and fairness. The North Carolina State Board of Elections emphasizes that this process reinforces trust in electoral outcomes through objective oversight from both liberal and conservative perspectives. North Carolina's 100 counties will begin the recount today, with a deadline to finish by Wednesday next week.
