When Elections Aren’t Enough: How Politicians Are Trying To Choose Their Voters

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A dangerous movement is systematically dismantling our democracy and eroding the foundations of free and fair elections. For decades, we’ve witnessed a cycle of backlash toward expansion of the electorate in the United States, but these types of voter suppression are particularly prominent in the South. Now, in North Carolina, the will of the people is being usurped by public officials who would rather choose their voters than be chosen by them.

In the November 2024 election, North Carolina voters broke the Republican supermajority in their state’s legislature and chose to re-elect Democrat Allison Riggs to the state supreme court. Riggs won her race against Republican candidate Jefferson Griffin by more than 700 votes. But in an ongoing attempt to further entrench Republican control of the state, Griffin refuses to concede the election, despite his loss being affirmed by two recounts. Instead, he petitioned the state’s Republican majority Supreme Court to disenfranchise more than 60,000 voters.

MORE: The Shameful History Of Voter Suppression

The people targeted by Griffin’s challenge are overwhelmingly Black voters, who are twice as likely to be on the list of ballots he’s contesting. These voters registered in compliance with the law, without needing to provide a Social Security number, and followed the required identification process when voting. They were never informed of any issues with their ballots or given the opportunity to correct them. Now, Griffin wants to retroactively invalidate their votes, potentially deterring future participation in elections.

The hypocrisy of this case is glaring. In 2020, Republican leaders accepted the results of a similarly close race for Chief Justice when Republican Paul Newby defeated Democrat Cheri Beasley by just 401 votes. Now, when the outcome doesn’t suit their interests, they seek to dismantle the will of the people, signaling to the people that some politicians only care about democracy when they’re winning.

Griffin’s efforts to overturn the election result have not only been rejected by the North Carolina State Board of Elections, but he also disregarded the standard process for appealing that decision. Despite two recounts confirming the results, Griffin continues to pursue his petition through the state’s Supreme Court, ignoring procedural norms. This is not just Griffin‘s fight for one race, it’s a calculated attempt to undermine the will of the people of North Carolina for political gain.

Griffin’s efforts are just one piece of a much larger, ongoing power-grab campaign in North Carolina to stifle the voices of voters and undermine their right to choose their leaders. For over a decade, North Carolina’s legislative leaders have waged a “death by a thousand cuts” campaign to erode the right to vote, particularly for Black and brown voters, poor voters, students and people with disabilities. Through a relentless series of attacks on voting rights, they have worked to strengthen their own grip on power.

This isn’t just about one politician or one election. It’s about a sustained, organized effort to silence those who have fought for a voice in our democracy. The North Carolina General Assembly’s (NCGA) history of racial gerrymandering is a prime example, with their 2011 redistricting plan specifically designed to limit the political influence of Black voters. A federal court later labeled it one of the largest racial gerrymanders ever encountered. In 2013, they passed H.B. 589, a sweeping voter suppression law that eliminated or heavily restricted critical voting procedures, which the Fourth Circuit found “target[ed] African Americans with almost surgical precision.”

This ongoing assault on voting rights escalated with the introduction of voter ID requirements in 2018, which Forward Justice has challenged in federal court and is awaiting a final order. In 2023, after Forward Justice was victorious in restoring voting rights for 56,000 people with prior felony convictions in 2022, a newly elected partisan North Carolina Supreme Court stripped those voters of their rights once again.

As recently as 2023, the NCGA passed S.B. 747, further restricting access to the polls by eliminating a mail-in ballot grace period and changing same-day registration processes.

This pattern of disenfranchisement continued in the wake of Hurricane Helene when lawmakers used their supermajority to pass Senate Bill 382. This bill not only tied critically important disaster relief funding for thousands of displaced families to a monster piece of legislation but it also stripped power from offices won by Democrats in the November 2024 election, shifting that authority to offices that would be held by Republican officials. One key provision of the bill moves the power to address issues like these from the North Carolina State Board of Elections to the now Republican-controlled State Auditor’s office.

For too long, our country has been held captive by power-hungry politicians who have manipulated the system to cling to control and obstruct progress. This battle for voting rights and democracy isn’t just a fight for a few; it impacts everyone, but especially Black, brown and poor communities. We know true progress and lasting change are within reach, but only if we come together in collective action. We believe our nation should move towards unity, equity, justice, love, and inclusivity and away from division, inequality, hatred, and policy violence.

For generations, the American Dream has been a cruel illusion, upheld by systems of oppression that have ravaged families, communities and our nation. The harm caused by these unjust policies runs deep, and it’s time to reckon with it and repair the damage. This is where Forward Justice comes in: our fight is about more than just voting. It is about organizing, staying informed, attending community meetings, and holding our leaders accountable. The time for action is now. The future we deserve is within our power to create, but it requires relentless action. We must push for policies that protect people and democracy, and ensure justice is not a privilege for a few, but a right for all.

The South has a powerful legacy; it’s a region where Black, brown, and poor communities have fought for freedom and justice. From here, movements have sparked and gained global momentum. The struggle for democracy in North Carolina and across the South isn’t just local; it’s a reflection of America’s broader fight for justice, equality, and civil rights. We know that if we can transform our local communities, we can change our state and if we can change our state, we can change the South, and if we can change the South, we can change the Nation.

Ashley Mitchell is the Voting Rights Counsel at Forward Justice. Kat Roblez is the Senior Voting Rights Counsel and Litigation Manager at Forward Justice.

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