An incumbent Democrat narrowly won re-election to the state’s highest court. But the Republican-controlled court is considering an unusual protest from her challenger that could flip the result.

Republican Jefferson Griffin lost by 734 votes, but he has contested the eligibility of 60,000 ballots cast in the election.

The North Carolina Supreme Court blocked state officials from certifying the re-election of Democrat Allison Riggs to the court, allowing Republican Jefferson Griffin to challenge the validity of nearly 60,