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Allison Riggs
2023 - Present
2032
2
Allison Riggs (Democratic Party) is a judge of the North Carolina Supreme Court. She assumed office on September 11, 2023. Her current term ends on December 31, 2032.
Riggs (Democratic Party) ran for re-election for judge of the North Carolina Supreme Court. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.
Riggs resigned from the North Carolina Court of Appeals on September 11, 2023. She was appointed by Gov. Roy Cooper to the North Carolina Supreme Court on September 11, 2023 to replace Michael R. Morgan.[1] To learn more about this appointment, click here.
Biography
Allison Riggs earned a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, and a juris doctor from the University of Florida. Riggs' career experience includes working as a co-executive director, the chief counsel for voting rights, and a senior staff attorney with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice.[2]
2024 battleground election
Ballotpedia identified the November 5 general election as a battleground race. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Incumbent Justice Allison Riggs (D) defeated Jefferson Griffin (R) in the partisan general election for a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
On May 7, 2025, Griffin conceded the election, ending all recounts and legal challenges to the outcome.[3] To read a detailed timeline of events surrounding post-election lawsuits and recounts, click here.
The Raleigh News & Observer's Kyle Ingram wrote the race "lack[s] much of the public vitriol or big personalities present in races higher on the ballot — but the stakes are high."[4]
At the time of election, the court had a 5-2 Republican majority. Heading into the 2020 election, Democrats held a 6-1 majority on the court. They lost 2 seats, reducing their majority on the court to 4-3. In 2022, Republicans won two seats, changing the balance of the court to a 5-2 Republican majority. In 2024, the court could have remained a 5-2 Republican majority or could have turned into a 6-1 Republican majority. To read more about past court elections, click here.
Both parties saw this race as crucial for control of the court. Riggs said, "The supreme court isn't flipping control in this election. I am employing a plan, working with Justice Anita Earls and many others to help win back our courts in the 2028 election. Still, we're going to have to defend my seat in 2024. Justice Earls’ seat in 2026 before we can do that."[5] North Carolina GOP Judicial Victory Fund Chair Susan Mills highlighted the importance of winning this seat, saying, "Having the majority this cycle doesn't guarantee we will keep it in the future."[4] The Charlotte Observer's Paige Masten wrote, "If Democrats lose in November, they technically still have a chance of flipping the court in 2028. But that will be significantly harder."[6]
Gov. Roy Cooper (D) appointed Riggs to replace Justice Michael R. Morgan (D) in 2023.[7] She said her "record demonstrates without question my commitment to our constitution and the protections it provides for the people of this state."[8] She said that she "value[s] reproductive freedoms. I value democracy and know that it doesn’t defend itself without people on the bench being willing to enforce the Constitution."[4] Riggs described Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's judicial method as an influence and said that she has "been intentional in applying this in my own judicial work. By focusing on process, rather than 'brand,' I believe I am best complying with my constitutional duty to rule without fear or favor."[9] Riggs was a former appellate justice and civil rights attorney.
Griffin campaigned on his experience and said, "I’ve been able to show the people of North Carolina that I’m a constitutional conservative, that I believe in the rule of law."[10] Griffin said that he is "more of an originalist than anything...My interpretation of it is, I’m gonna look at this legal document...as of the time it was written."[4] He said that he admires "Clarence Thomas’s judicial philosophy. He’s always consistent."[10] Griffin believed that North Carolina voters "want judges who interpret the law and aren’t activists, who don’t go up there with any agenda...I’m there to do my job, I have no policy agenda — I’m there to interpret the law."[4] Griffin served on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.
According to the most recent fundraising data before the election, Riggs had raised $1.1 million and spent $456,619, and Griffin raised $1.2 million and spent $198,521. To read more about campaign finance data, click here
North Carolina was one of 33 states that held state supreme court elections in 2024 and one of seven that held partisan supreme court elections. To read more about which states that held supreme court elections in 2024, click here.
Elections
2024
See also: North Carolina Supreme Court elections, 2024
General election
General election for North Carolina Supreme Court
Incumbent Allison Riggs defeated Jefferson Griffin in the general election for North Carolina Supreme Court on November 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Allison Riggs (D) | 50.0 | 2,770,412 |
 | Jefferson Griffin (R) | 50.0 | 2,769,678 | |
| Total votes: 5,540,090 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court
Incumbent Allison Riggs defeated Lora Cubbage in the Democratic primary for North Carolina Supreme Court on March 5, 2024.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Allison Riggs | 69.1 | 450,268 |
 | Lora Cubbage | 30.9 | 201,336 | |
| Total votes: 651,604 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
The Republican primary election was canceled. Jefferson Griffin advanced from the Republican primary for North Carolina Supreme Court.
Campaign finance
Endorsements
Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Riggs in this election.
Campaign themes
2024
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Allison Riggs did not complete Ballotpedia's 2024 Candidate Connection survey.
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Appointments
2023
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) appointed Allison Riggs to the Supreme Court of North Carolina on September 11, 2023. She was sworn in the same day.
Riggs replaced Justice Michael R. Morgan, who retired on September 8, 2023. Riggs was Cooper's second nominee to the seven-member supreme court.
In North Carolina, state supreme court justices are elected in partisan elections. There are eight states that use this selection method. To read more about the partisan election of judges, click here.
If a midterm vacancy occurs, the governor appoints a replacement candidate to serve until the next general election. Riggs was up for election in 2024.
State supreme court judicial selection in North Carolina
- See also: Judicial selection in North Carolina
The seven justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court are chosen through partisan elections. Justices are elected to eight-year terms and must face re-election if they wish to serve again.[11]
Qualifications
To serve on this court, a person must be licensed to practice law in North Carolina. There is a mandatory retirement age of 72 years.[12]
Chief justice
The chief justice of the supreme court is elected by voters to serve in that capacity for an eight-year term.[13]
Vacancies
In the event of a midterm vacancy, the governor appoints a successor to serve until the next general election which is held more than 60 days after the vacancy occurs. The governor must select an appointee from a list of three recommendations provided by the executive committee of the political party with which the vacating justice was affiliated.[14] An election is then held for a full eight-year term.[15][11]
The map below highlights how vacancies are filled in state supreme courts across the country.
See also
2024 Elections
External links
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Candidate North Carolina Supreme Court |
Officeholder North Carolina Supreme Court |
Personal |
Footnotes
- ↑ ‘’Washington Examiner‘', “North Carolina governor appoints Democratic justice to fill Supreme Court vacancy,” September 11, 2023
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedappt - ↑ WCNC, "Jefferson Griffin concedes North Carolina Supreme Court race," May 7, 2025
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 The Raleigh News & Observer, "‘The power levers in our state’ run through its courts. Your choices for NC’s next justice," accessed September 14, 2024
- ↑ The Daily Tar Heel, "Q&A: Allison Riggs speaks about civil rights experience, keeping seat on N.C. Supreme Court," accessed September 15, 2024
- ↑ Charlotte Observer, "Democrats are changing their strategy for 2024’s must-win NC Supreme Court race | Opinion," accessed September 15, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina Governor's Website, "Governor Cooper Announces Two Judicial Appointments," accessed September 15, 2024
- ↑ Rocky Mount Telegram, "Appointed justice seeks election to NC Supreme Court seat," accessed September 14, 2024
- ↑ The Raleigh News & Observer, "Candidate for NC Supreme Court, Democrat Allison Riggs, answers our questions," accessed September 15, 2024
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 North State Journal, "Jefferson Griffin looks to join Republican majority on NC Supreme Court ," accessed September 15, 2024
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | School of Government, "History of North Carolina Judicial Elections," August 2020
- ↑ North Carolina Judicial Branch, "Judicial Qualifications Summary," September 28, 2016
- ↑ National Center for State Courts, "Methods of Judicial Selection: North Carolina," accessed September 20, 2021
- ↑ Ballotpedia Election Administration Legislation Tracker, "North Carolina S382," accessed December 19, 2024
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "North Carolina Constitution - Article IV," accessed September 20, 2021 (Section 19)
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Federal courts:
Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of North Carolina, Middle District of North Carolina, Western District of North Carolina
State courts:
Supreme Court of North Carolina • North Carolina Court of Appeals • North Carolina Superior Courts • North Carolina District Courts
State resources:
Courts in North Carolina • North Carolina judicial elections • Judicial selection in North Carolina
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