On May 26, BigTentUSA hosted a virtual conversation with North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and North Carolina Supreme Court Justices Anita Earls and Allison Riggs on the political and legal battles shaping North Carolina’s future. The speakers discussed ongoing challenges facing election officials and voting rights advocates as court fights over redistricting, election certification, and ballot access continue across the state. They also highlighted efforts to create obstacles on election day, including reports of military veterans being removed from voter rolls after registering with military IDs — a major concern in a state with one of the country’s largest veteran populations.
Justice Riggs shared her experience defending her election victory through a lengthy legal battle and explained that the North Carolina Democratic Party only recently finished paying the associated legal fees. She noted that the fight led to new protections designed to prevent similar challenges in future races.
Anderson Clayton called for aggressive grassroots organizing to energize voters around critical down-ballot races, stressing that canvassing, phone banking, and text banking remain some of the most effective tools for building momentum. She also argued that a Democratic majority in North Carolina is closer than many believe with sustained investment, organizing, and strong voter turnout.
As the 2026 elections approach, the panel made one thing clear: the outcome will depend on who is willing to organize, mobilize, and fight for every vote.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:
Justice Anita Earls is an Associate Justice on the North Carolina Supreme Court and a longtime civil rights attorney with over 30 years of experience in voting rights, school desegregation, and employment discrimination cases. She founded the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and has held key roles at the U.S. Department of Justice, UNC Law School, and multiple state commissions focused on equity and justice. A graduate of Williams College and Yale Law School, she continues to write, teach, and advocate for racial and social justice.
Justice Allison Riggs was elected by North Carolinians to keep her seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court in November 2024, but that win took 6 months of post-election litigation to defend.
She is the youngest woman to ever serve on the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the only judge of child-bearing age currently serving. Justice Riggs brings an important perspective to the Court and works every day to protect the independence of our judiciary.
She was previously appointed by Governor Roy Cooper to the State Supreme Court before winning her full-term, and the North Carolina Court of Appeals. Before serving as a judge, Justice Riggs worked for 14 years as a civil rights attorney, fighting to protect North Carolinians’ freedoms, including the right to vote. She argued twice before the U.S. Supreme Court in several benchmark redistricting cases.
Anderson Clayton serves as the current chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party. Elected at 25 years old, Anderson Clayton is the youngest chair of a state Democratic Party. Chair Clayton grew up in Roxboro, North Carolina and graduated from Appalachian State University. She worked on Congresswoman Kathy Manning’s congressional campaign, as a field organizer in Iowa for the presidential campaigns of Kamala Harris and Elizabeth Warren, and then for Amy McGrath’s Senate campaign. Prior to her election as Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, Chair Clayton served as a chair of the Person County Democratic Party, her hometown county. Chair Clayton resides in Roxboro, NC.
