Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin conceded the North Carolina Supreme Court election to Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs after a federal judge ruled that disputed ballots must be included in the final tally. Riggs won by 734 votes out of over 5.5 million cast, making her the official winner of an eight-year term as an associate justice. Griffin decided not to appeal the judge's decision, ending the last undecided race from November's general election. The judge's ruling protected the rights of affected voters and upheld the rule of law, ensuring that every legal vote was counted. The outcome improves the Democratic party's chances of regaining a majority on the state Supreme Court in the future.