The order allows the state Supreme Court to hear a challenge by the Republican candidate in the race — who trails by just 734 votes — to have 60,000 ballots thrown out.

Summary

The North Carolina Supreme Court, in a 5-1 Republican-led decision, blocked certification of Democratic Justice Allison Riggs as the winner of a state Supreme Court race.

Riggs leads Republican Jefferson Griffin by 734 votes after recounts, but Griffin claims 60,000 ballots were illegally cast and seeks to have them invalidated.

The court will now hear Griffin’s challenge, with briefs due by January 24.

Democrats criticized the move as partisan, while the lone Democratic justice dissented, arguing there is no basis to delay certification or disrupt the election process.