Justice Allison Riggs reflects on fight to uphold voter rights during Thomasville visit

Justice Allison Riggs of the North Carolina Supreme Court visited Davidson County this week, marking a powerful moment not just in her political journey but for voters across the state who endured unprecedented challenges during the last election. The race, originally decided in November, was dragged into a months-long legal fight after her opponent contested the results, targeting tens of thousands of early and absentee ballots. The prolonged dispute delayed certification and raised serious concerns about the integrity of voter protections statewide.

After the November election, Jeff Griffin, Riggs’ opponent, launched a formal challenge to the results, alleging widespread issues with early and absentee voting. He submitted a list of nearly 65,000 voters—many of them military, overseas, or early voters—claiming their registrations could not be verified due to incomplete or missing data. Critics pointed out that the data used was flawed, often failing to account for updated ID standards and election protocols. The challenge generated national headlines as it delayed the certification of the race for over six months before it was ultimately dismissed, with courts upholding the original election outcome.

Riggs, who was sworn in six months and two days after her election victory, spent over two years engaging with voters across North Carolina. Her visit to Davidson County carried personal weight—her own parents were among nearly 65,000 voters whose eligibility was challenged in the aftermath of the election, including close to 500 here in Davidson County.

The daughter of a soldier and sister to one, Riggs spoke candidly about how disturbing it was to watch her opponent, Jeff Griffin, challenge ballots cast by military families. Her best guess for why her parents were flagged: “My parents voted with a military ID,” she said, explaining that the Department of Defense no longer prints Social Security numbers on those IDs—possibly causing the system Griffin used to reject them. “It was just bad data,” Riggs said. Her mother, Chris Riggs, joined her on Monday night.

She encountered several voters across the state whose eligibility was also questioned—many of them veterans, early voters, or living overseas. Riggs said, '“They wanted me to make it make sense.” The system used to make the challenges cut across party lines but disproportionately impacted groups traditionally protected under the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). Riggs emphasized the real-world harm that came from efforts to deny election outcomes outright.

“There were real people represented. They were voters who have a constitutional right to have their voice heard. It’s important to me to lift up the voice... of the people that were scared and harmed,” she said. Riggs added that the damage went far beyond the courtroom. “We have to remember that elections aren’t win-at-all-cost,” she said, pointing out that trying to deny the results “because we don’t like the outcome” inflicts lasting harm on democracy.

Riggs, newly married during the ordeal, admitted the process took a personal toll. She recalled her husband asking, “I thought this was supposed to be over in November.” The first-time politician said she never felt alone, buoyed by the support of the communities she visited and the voters who stood firm.

The Davidson County appearance was part of the Bold and Blue Fundraiser, hosted by the Democratic Women of Davidson County. The Bold and Blue Committee organized the event and invited Riggs to speak in recognition of her perseverance and commitment to upholding the democratic process.

“Justice Riggs was well received by everyone at the event,” said Annmarie Clark, co-chair of the Bold and Blue Committee. “Her remarks were inspiring, timely, and on point given our current political climate. She represents all the people, and we were grateful for her support. I’ve had several opportunities to engage with Justice Riggs during her campaign, and I can say without hesitation—she’s a down-to-earth, deeply committed public servant.”

For Riggs, this isn’t just a victory for her seat—it’s a mission to ensure what happened in this election doesn’t happen again. Her message in Davidson County was clear: elections should be about integrity, not ambition.

It was, she said, a victory for “a majority of people who want to put the Constitution and the country over personal ambition.”