Count Every Hero filed an amicus brief with the Secure Families Initiative in Griffin v. North Carolina State Board of Elections v. Riggs to ensure military and overseas voters’ ballots are counted.
Raleigh, NC — Count Every Hero partnered with the Secure Families Initiative to urge the North Carolina Court of Appeals to affirm the Superior Court’s decision to reject efforts to retroactively change voting rules months after the November election. Failure to affirm the decision would unconstitutionally disqualify the legally cast ballots of many military and overseas voters and reverse the outcome of the election.
In the brief, the amici argued that the attempt to invalidate thousands of absentee ballots cast by eligible voters who followed all North Carolina laws and procedures at the time of the election violated these voters’ Fourteenth Amendment Due Process and Equal Protection Rights. The brief also highlighted that Congress designed the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act to ensure that military and overseas voters have the opportunity to participate in elections without facing undue burdens in addition to the procedural hurdles they already face.
The Petitioner-Appellant attempted to disqualify the ballots of these voters months after the election in which they followed all established laws and procedures, effectively disenfranchising a significant number of eligible voters who complied with the established procedures at the time they cast their ballots. Count Every Hero’s involvement in this case underscores its commitment to protecting the integrity of civil-military relations and ensuring that all eligible voters, especially those serving in the military or residing overseas, can exercise their right to vote without unnecessary obstacles. This case highlights the importance of safeguarding the democratic process by upholding the rights of all citizens, regardless of their location or status.
Read the full amicus brief here.