RICHMOND, Va. - The ACLU of North Carolina has filed an amicus brief on “democratic backsliding” ignited by Griffin vs. NC State Board of Elections, a case in which Judge Jefferson Griffin seeks to disqualify over 60,000 votes in the North Carolina Supreme Court race. Judge Griffin received fewer votes than his opponent but has refused to concede.
The brief, which was filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit on behalf of numerous scholars who study the collapse of democracies around the world, defines democratic backsliding as “a process of incremental, but ultimately still substantial, decay in the three basic predicates of democracy—competitive elections, liberal rights to speech and association, and the rule of law,” particularly “as it pertains to the possibility of fair elections.”
The brief argues that overturning the election results would contribute to the erosion of election integrity in North Carolina, and that this erosion could lead to the dismantling of our state’s democracy. The brief further contends that federal oversight is critical to protect the constitutional rights of voters in North Carolina and ensure a functioning democracy at the state level.
“American democracy is only as strong as our elections," said Kristi Graunke, legal director for the ACLU of North Carolina. “This case is the latest in a string of attempts by politicians to undermine our protections for free and fair elections. The scholars’ analysis shows that in other countries, these kinds of political moves have preceded a breakdown of democratic systems. We cannot allow that to happen in North Carolina.”
The ACLU of North Carolina is asking the Fourth Circuit to exercise jurisdiction and reverse the district court’s decision to abstain from deciding the critical constitutional rights issues raised by this case.
You can review the amicus brief below.
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