Opinion: Jefferson Griffin wants to throw out my vote because he lost. That disqualifies him from serving on the NC Supreme Court.

As a teacher for 33 years, it was always important to me to model being a good citizen. Our children are watching what we do. 

At the age of 85, I’ve spent decades ensuring that I exercised good citizenship and took the time to go vote. As an English teacher, I’ve routinely taken many of my lessons from the classroom to the ballot box – ensuring that I fill in the blanks carefully and double-check my answers. So when I found out my vote in the November election was being legally challenged, I was baffled. 

To receive a letter saying that my vote is one of 60,000 being challenged by Judge Jefferson Griffin, the losing candidate in the North Carolina Supreme Court race, makes me wonder if my right to vote is being stripped away from me. Is my truthfulness being questioned? 

As a former teacher, allow me to share a forgotten story from some of the people who helped build our state — the Quakers. They aren’t just the oldest organized church in North Carolina, they were some of the earliest leaders in the movement to abolish slavery. Their impact can be felt across North Carolina, from helping to establish Guilford College, to shaping the character of our state.

But in England at that time the Quakers’ views were also seen as disruptive by those in power. They were quickly disenfranchised from political institutions. Many were imprisoned and forbidden from convening in public.

Their goods were forfeited, but they persisted despite the threat against their way of life. They would not swear an oath because that might mean that their word was in question unless under oath. 

We have come a long way since then, but I can’t help but recognize the parallels in what we’re experiencing today. One person in power disagrees with how we are using our voices, so we are being targeted, our integrity questioned, and our rights threatened. But like our ancestors, we refuse to be intimidated.  

Amid this challenge, the state board of elections has done their due diligence in assuring that our votes are counted, and ultimately, North Carolinians chose Justice Allison Riggs to serve our state on the highest court. 

For Judge Griffin to question the integrity of over 60,000 North Carolinians, and find various ways to try to overturn the will of the people is a sign that he is willing to forgo his judicial responsibilities of being faithful to the law and unswayed by partisan interests.

Judge Griffin, our children are watching. History is watching. I encourage you to lead by example in honoring the people’s decision and concede gracefully as other losing candidates have done so in the past. 

Get back to doing the job you have, and work for the people of North Carolina.