(The Center Square) – The North Carolina State Board of Elections voted unanimously on Tuesday to allow the Justice for All party on the ballot in November, just 17 days before absentee ballots go out in North Carolina.
This comes after the board previously denied Justice for All ballot access at every step, leading a federal court to rule in favor of the party last week.
“There was a lawsuit in federal court and the federal court in the Eastern District of North Carolina has issued a preliminary injunction on August 12, and that injunction ordered the state board to certify justice as a new political party . . . and to include their certified and qualified candidates on the general election ballot this November,” said Adam Steele in the board meeting. Steele is the associate general counsel for the Board of Elections.
In previous votes, the three Democratic members of the board had voted against certifying the party for the ballot, while the two Republicans supported it.
“I mean, I think our hand is forced in a way, because of the federal court,” said board member Siobhan Millen, a Democrat.
Now, Justice for All’s presidential candidate, Dr. Cornel West, will appear on the ballot. The party also has the option to place downballot candidates.
After a summer of controversy which included multiple lawsuits and a federal investigation, now all three parties that were seeking ballot access have been granted it.
At the beginning of July, the board considered the parties’ petitions, each having received more than 13,865 signatures as required by law. The board approved the Constitution Party on July 9, and We the People on July 16, while still denying Justice for All.
The party was denied access for the last time on July 16, with Democratic Chairman Alan Hirsch, Jeff Carmon and Millen voting against inclusion and Republicans Stacy Eggers and Kevin Lewis in favor.
This was to be the final decision until the federal court stepped in.
The same day the federal court ruled in favor of Justice for All, a state judge ruled in favor of We the People remaining on the ballot, denying a request from the North Carolina Democratic Party to remove the party from the ballot.
It is widely believed that West, a political progressive, will likely attract more Democratic support than Republican.
“The State Board has updated voter registration applications to include the new political party option,” said a statement from the board.