Trailing candidate don ask Court to Intervene for him race

Di candidate wey dey behind for one very close election for di North Carolina don tell di Supreme Court on Wednesday say make dem step in and stop election officials from counting ova 60,000 ballots wey him talk say no follow for di law wey dem take cast am.

Jefferson Griffin, wey be Republican member of di Court of Appeals, don carry him request go Supreme Court bicos of him race with di Democratic Justice Allison Riggs.

Afta di recounts and protest hearings wey Griffin and oda GOP candidates start, Riggs dey lead Griffin by 734 votes out of more than 5.5 million ballots cast for di Nov. 5 election.

The Associated Press neva call dis race yet.

Di State Board of Elections bin don vote last week to take dismiss all di protests.

Normally, if trailing candidate, no happy with wetin happen and wan stop board say make dem no give certificate to dia rival, na to appeal go Wake County Superior Court be dia next step.

Rig don declare say she na winner and her campaign talk say Griffin just accept defeat.

But instead make him go Wake County court, Griffin go Supreme Court com ask make justices rule by Monday for him request to take prevent certificate so dem no issued give Riggs and suspend di 10-day deadline to take file appeal for Wake County court.

Griffin lawyers talk say dis delay go give justices time to consider why three categories of ballots no bin com dey counted for him race with Riggs.

Five Republicans dey among seven members for Supreme Court, wey don turn partisan battle ground ova two years as dem dey fight about redistricting, photo voter identification and oda voting rights issues.

Di state Democratic Party sue earlier dis month inside federal court bicos dem wan stop board say make dem no dey throw away di ballots, dem talk say e fit violate U.S Constitution and election laws.

Democratic officials fear be say, if Supreme Court side with Republicans at last e fit remove dose challenged ballots which fit threaten Riggs victory.

By going straight to di Supreme Court with Wednesday’s filing go help avoid more delays if state Democrats decide say dem wan move am back to federal court; na wetin Griffin brief talk.

Di challenges wey Griffin present again for Wednesday focus for three categories of ballots.

Di cast wey di pipo without driver licenses or partial Social Security numbers; overseas wey neva live for U.S but dia parents be North Carolina residents; plus military or overseas voters wey no provide photo ID along with dia ballots.

Di state board composed of three Democrats plus two Republicans throw away all Griffin protests based for party lines mostly as dem vote mostly 3-2 against him protest each time except one case wia him reach balance still fall under party line too.

“Dem no any reasonable basis wey dey presented wey dey show say election law bin dey violated or wey dey even show dat irregularities don occurred,” na wetin board’s written order talk partly.

Griff lawyer Troy Shelton reject any arguments from Riggs say him client dey try change election rules afta everything don happen already; registration record requirement take effect since 2004 while residency requirements for voting inside North Carolina don dey since 1776.

“Di Board suppose discount votes wey pipo cast in violation of state law,” Shelton write for Wednesday.

But board Chair Alan Hirsch com talk last week during protest hearing say di registered voter get votes wey dem don throw away “na bad thing against democratic system and e no suppose dey happen.”

Di protests wey dem bin dismissed last week also com from three Republican legislative candidates wey dey behind inside dia own General Assembly races too.

Appeals for plenty additional protests wey both Griffin plus legislative candidates file but first dey considered by di county boards go hear am Friday by State Board of Elections.

Di AP neva call two of dis races yet either.

Once protests finish work for General Assembly candidates level una recourse no be to dey go court again but formally ask General Assembly chamber make dem decide who really win dat seat.

For one seat mata, Republican state Frank Sossamon dey behind Democratic challenger Bryan Cohn about 230 votes sharp-sharp now so Cohn victory mean say Republicans fall one short or retaining dia current veto-proof majority starting next month.

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