In the political arena of North Carolina, a storm of controversy has been brewing, and the latest tempest has arrived in the form of a ruling by the state’s Appeals Court. This decision has sent shockwaves through the political landscape, marking a significant victory for Republicans and raising serious concerns about the future of democracy in the state.
The saga began when North Carolina’s Republican-controlled state legislature, hungry for more power, introduced a piece of legislation that seemed to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Presented as a hurricane relief bill, SB382 contained a provision that was nothing short of an audacious power grab. It aimed to strip power from state-level elected Democrats, who hold crucial offices such as governor, secretary of state, and attorney general, and hand over control of the state election board to Republicans. Specifically, it granted Republican state auditor Dave Boliek authority over the five – person election board, an unprecedented move as no other state gives such power to the auditor instead of the governor.
In December, newly elected Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, along with former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, decided to fight back. They filed a lawsuit against the GOP – controlled legislature’s leadership, challenging the constitutionality of SB382. Their argument was clear: the legislation, if implemented, would “interfere with the Governor’s constitutional duties.” And for a moment, it seemed like justice might prevail. Late last month, North Carolina trial judges, in a 2 – 1 decision, sided with Stein and Cooper, ruling that the legislation was indeed unconstitutional.
But the story took a dramatic turn on Wednesday. The Appeals Court panel overturned the lower court’s ruling, clearing the way for Republicans to execute their power grab and gain control of the state election board. With this decision, Boliek is now expected to tip the scales and shift the board to a Republican majority. Stein, not one to back down, has already appealed the ruling to the State Supreme Court, hoping to reverse this setback and safeguard the democratic process.
This power grab by the GOP doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a larger, disturbing pattern of Republicans attempting to undermine democratic outcomes in the state. In the backdrop of this election board controversy, there’s another ongoing battle: the attempt by a Republican Supreme Court candidate to steal an election from a Democrat. Republican state Supreme Court candidate and Appeals Court Judge Jefferson Griffin, who lost the November 2024 race to Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs, has been on a relentless mission to overturn the results. Despite Riggs’ victory being affirmed by two recounts, Griffin has been trying to invalidate nearly 60,000 ballots, baselessly alleging voter registration issues.
Stein was quick to voice his concerns on X, calling the Appeals Court decision “the latest step in the partisan effort to steal a seat on the Supreme Court.” He passionately argued that when one loses an election, the proper response is to work harder for the next one, not to change the rules after the fact. Stein warned that the decision poses a grave threat to democracy and the rule of law, and he urged the Supreme Court to intervene. He pointed out that there was no legitimate emergency to justify the Appeals Court’s interference and suggested that the real motive was to allow the Republican State Auditor to appoint a new election board that could potentially overturn the Supreme Court race results.
As North Carolinians watch these events unfold, the fate of their state’s democracy hangs in the balance. The outcome of Stein’s appeal to the State Supreme Court and the resolution of the Supreme Court race controversy will determine whether the principles of fair elections and democratic governance will prevail, or if the Republican power grab will succeed in reshaping the political landscape in a way that undermines the very essence of democracy.
