AP:

North Carolina’s elections board became a Republican majority on Thursday as the GOP state auditor appointed a new panel one day after an appeals court ruled a law shifting that power away from the Democratic governor could still be enforced while its constitutionality is deliberated.

Auditor Dave Boliek announced three Republicans and two Democrats for the board, picked from lists provided by the state parties. His actions came just a week after trial judges agreed with new Gov. Josh Stein that a law finalized in December by the Republican-controlled General Assembly stripping the governor of board appointment authority violated the state constitution. Stein and Democratic predecessor Roy Cooper sued to overturn the law.But Boliek, who was elected last fall to the post, went ahead with appointments after the intermediate-level Court of Appeals on Wednesday said the appointment switch could still be carried out while broader legal questions are reviewed on appeal.

Stein asked the state Supreme Court late Wednesday to suspend the unanimous ruling of the three appeals judges and keep blocking the law. But the justices hadn’t acted on his request as of late Thursday — giving Boliek time to step in. The law said the terms of the five most recent members, which were otherwise supposed to continue until 2027, expired Wednesday and that new members would be appointed to four-year terms that begin Thursday….

The board’s importance has been apparent in the still-unresolved November election for a state Supreme Court seat between Democratic incumbent Allison Riggs and Republican challenger Jefferson Griffin, himself a Court of Appeals judge.

Stein said Wednesday after the Court of Appeals ruling that he feared the appointment changes would mean Republicans could succeed in helping Griffin win the seat. The current tally has Riggs slightly ahead….