The Republican National Committee (RNC) and its legal team are traversing various states, aiming to shape the laws and procedures governing the upcoming November elections.
Under the influence of former President Donald Trump’s loyalists, the RNC is resurrecting unsuccessful legal arguments from 2020, striving to participate in numerous state and federal lawsuits. These lawsuits span across major battleground states for the 2024 election, as well as deeply conservative and liberal states.
Some of the significant ongoing legal battles center on the processing of absentee ballots and the maintenance of voter rolls. If successful, these lawsuits could result in fewer eligible voters casting their ballots in November and fewer absentee votes being counted.
In many instances, the RNC collaborates with state parties to file lawsuits against state or county officials. In other scenarios, the national party seeks to intervene either in support or opposition of cases initiated by advocacy groups. Additionally, the RNC submits friend-of-the-court briefs, engages in rulemaking processes, and conducts investigations by requesting public records.
These legal actions often rely on misinformation propagated by the unfounded narrative that the 2020 election was fraudulent and stolen from Trump. Advocates argue that the RNC’s involvement is necessary to ensure confidence in the election outcome, uphold the democratic process, and encourage Republican voter turnout.
However, critics contend that the RNC’s legal arguments are based on misinformation and distortions about election administration and outcomes. They argue that these efforts are driven by the election denial movement and falsehoods surrounding the 2020 election.
Despite several attempts to reach out for comment, the RNC did not respond to inquiries regarding its litigation program. The party’s election integrity committee members, state party officials, and plaintiffs involved in various lawsuits were also unreachable.
Meanwhile, the RNC’s legal endeavors have targeted absentee ballot deadlines and voter registration in multiple states. For instance, lawsuits in Nevada and Michigan demand the removal of more registered voters from the rolls under the National Voter Registration Act. However, state officials have contested these claims, arguing that the RNC’s assertions are flawed.
Similarly, the RNC has intervened in legal disputes regarding absentee ballot regulations in Georgia, North Carolina, Mississippi, and Wisconsin. These lawsuits challenge various aspects of absentee voting, including ballot request and submission deadlines. Critics view these efforts as attempts to suppress voter turnout, particularly among Black and brown communities.
Furthermore, the RNC has involved itself in cases related to signature matching on absentee ballots in Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, and Washington. These lawsuits aim to ensure that election workers verify voters’ signatures accurately. However, critics argue that these efforts disproportionately disenfranchise certain demographic groups.
Despite the RNC’s legal maneuvers, experts anticipate that courts will scrutinize these claims rigorously and dismiss them if evidence is lacking.
