NC Court Ruling Puts 65,000 Ballots on Hold — What Holly Springs and Apex Voters Must Do to Protect Their Vote
Includes 209 voters from Holly Springs and 511 from Apex—Ruling requires affected voters to verify their eligibility within 15 business days.
Holly Springs, NC, Apr. 5, 2025 — A sweeping decision (ruling document) by the North Carolina Court of Appeals has cast a cloud over the fate of approximately 65,000 ballots statewide—including 209 from Holly Springs and 511 from Apex—requiring affected voters to verify their eligibility within 15 business days to ensure their votes are counted in a razor-thin North Carolina Supreme Court race.
The case, Griffin v. N.C. State Board of Elections, centers on a challenge by Judge Jefferson Griffin, who trails incumbent Justice Allison Riggs by only 734 votes following the November 2024 election. The challenge focused on three categories of voters:
Incomplete voter registrations – voters who did not provide a driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number.
Military and overseas voters – who allegedly failed to include a photo ID or alternative documentation.
“Never residents” – overseas voters who have never resided in North Carolina but voted based on their parents’ residency.
What the Court Ruled
The Court determined that the State Board of Elections wrongly dismissed these concerns without an evidentiary hearing and failed to properly notify voters of their ability to cure registration defects. The ruling mandates that:
Affected voters must now submit required identification or information to validate their ballots.
Each voter has 15 business days from the date they are notified to act.
Only ballots that are cured in time will be counted in the final result for the Supreme Court Seat 6 race.
The court emphasized that inclusion of ballots cast by ineligible voters “effectively disenfranchises” those who voted lawfully and upheld the principle that voting must follow legal requirements.
How to Check if You’re Affected
To determine whether you need to take action, review the links below. They include Holly Springs and Apex voters whose ballots are under review. A complete statewide list is also included:
What To Do if You’re on the List
If your name appears, you should:
Immediately contact the Wake County Board of Elections.
Provide the required ID or missing registration information.
Complete any documentation required to cure your ballot.
The League of Women Voters of North Carolina, a non-partisan non-profit organization, has issued an action alert, offering support and step-by-step instructions for voters navigating this process.
What's at Stake
With only hundreds of votes separating the candidates, the outcome of this case could determine the ideological balance of North Carolina’s highest court for years to come.
Legal experts note that this case may set a precedent in how voter eligibility laws are interpreted and enforced post-election. The Court has ordered that its mandate go into effect Monday, April 7, at 5 p.m., meaning voters have only a narrow window to act.
Take Action
If you're among those 65,000 voters—especially the 720 combined in Holly Springs and Apex—this ruling could make or break your vote being counted. Check your status, gather your documents, and respond quickly.