STATEMENT
Chantal Stevens, Executive Director of the ACLU of North Carolina, issued the following statement in response to the North Carolina Court of Appeals' decision:
"Friday’s decision by the North Carolina Court of Appeals to mandate the recount and verification of 65,000 votes in the contested 2024 state Supreme Court race, eviscerates the democratic process. The ruling risks throwing out tens of thousands of valid ballots—potentially overturning the outcome of a statewide election. It also sets a dangerous precedent that could enable future efforts to suppress eligible votes and subvert election results.
By requiring voters with so-called “incomplete” registrations or a missing photo ID—many of whom are military or overseas citizens—to "cure" their ballots within 15 business days, the court is placing an undue and retroactive burden on voters who cast their ballots in good faith and in reliance on the instructions given to them by election officials. Make no mistake these are voters who followed the rules, were allowed to vote, and are now having their ballots challenged after-the-fact by the losing candidate. This outcome is grossly unfair and antidemocratic.
In our elections, every eligible vote should count. The rules of our democracy cannot change after an election has taken place, especially not to suit the whims of one candidate. Retroactively disqualifying ballots creates uncertainty, undermines confidence in elections, and chips away at the core promise of equal access to the ballot.
Regardless of party or ideology, the electoral power in North Carolina lies directly with the people, not judges. To ensure that the choice of North Carolina voters is maintained, we urge the NC State Supreme Court to reverse this decision and reaffirm that in a functioning democracy, the voters—not the courts—decide the outcome of elections."
Chantal Stevens, Executive Director, ACLU of North Carolina