NC Supreme Court justice won’t seek reelection
1 of 2 remaining Democrats on bench ‘keeping options open’
RALEIGH, N.C. — One of the remaining registered Democrats on a North Carolina Supreme Court whose new Republican majority recently overturned previous decisions on gerrymandering and voter identification announced Thursday that he won’t seek reelection next year.
Associate Justice Mike Morgan’s election in 2016 to an eight-year term gave Democrats a majority on the court for the first time in nearly 20 years. The court returned to a 5-2 majority favoring registered Republicans in January after two GOP election victories.
Morgan tweeted his decision not to run, citing 34 years of judicial service, which includes serving as a Wake County trial judge and state administrative law judge.
Looking ahead, Morgan said he was now considering “other options that have been afforded” him.
“I feel as though as my public service speaks for itself, and I am in a position now to make an even greater difference in North Carolina in another capacity,” Morgan said.
Morgan didn’t provide details, but when asked whether that could include a run at another elected position, he said “at this stage I am keeping all of my options open.”
He also couldn’t say whether he would serve the remainder of his current term through the end of next year. Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper would appoint someone to fill his seat should he leave early.
Court of Appeals Judge Jefferson Griffin, a Republican,
already announced months ago that he would run for Morgan’s seat — the only one up for election in 2024. The current election sequence means Democrats likely won’t have another opportunity to obtain a majority until at least 2028. Morgan said while he certainly wished “the atmosphere and the orientation of this current court” were different, “nonetheless I served the institution of the court with pride and with integrity.”
Current law requires justices to retire at the end of the month they turn 72. That would have allowed Morgan, now 67, to serve close to three years of a second term had he been reelected in 2024. The governor fills vacancies for such retirements as well. The General Assembly is considering this year legislation that would extend the mandatory retirement age to 76 for appellate court judges.