Conservative group files lawsuit, asks for quick hearing in election lawsuit

The lingering North Carolina gubernatorial race battle taking place in county and state board of elections meetings is now headed to court too.

Conservative group Civitas filed a lawsuit Tuesday asking a judge to stop the State Board of Elections from certifying election results next week.

Since Election Day, there has been a battle between McCrory and his challenger Attorney General Roy Cooper over who won the governor’s race. The state's latest numbers show Cooper is up by more than 6,000 votes.

"What everyone in this state wants is fair, honest, secure elections and that's what we're looking for," said Susan Myrick, elections policy analyst for Civitas.

The lawsuit takes issue with votes from early voters who did same-day registration. Civitas claims election workers won't have verified some those votes through the mail in time for the statewide certification.

"We want those voters to be treated the same way other voters are treated," Myrick said.

Legal analyst James Wyatt told Channel 9 that a judge could take the matter up quickly if the plaintiffs demand a hearing through a temporary restraining order motion or injunction motion.

Attorneys for Civitas filed an injunction motion late Wednesday requesting a quick hearing. No date has been set.

Wyatt also said a judge would consider how time sensitive the matter is.

"The judge would take into account the timing of things and obviously all these issues need to try to be resolved before the inauguration," he said.

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