High stakes in N. Carolina court races with majority on line

By GARY D. ROBERTSON
Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The stakes in elections for a pair of North Carolina Supreme Court seats this fall are high. Outcomes could flip the court’s partisan makeup during a period of political polarization. Registered Democrats hold a 4-3 advantage on the court, but Republicans would retake the majority with at least one win. The next edition of the Supreme Court could consider a host of divisive issues, including abortion, especially if Republican lawmakers gain veto-proof majorities in Raleigh so that Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper can’t easily stop laws. The elections feature Justice Sam Ervin IV, two sitting Court of Appeals judges and the general counsel for the state court system.