On Friday, the Republican National Committee and Trump’s campaign team challenged a state law that permits counting mail-in ballots received days after Election Day.
In 2021, the Democrats approved this legislation, which allows the tallying of mail ballots up to four days after Election Day, as long as the envelopes were postmarked before the closing of the election day.
The motion argued that such a law violates federal law.
The RNC listed the Secretary of State of Nevada, Francisco Aguilar, and its two biggest counties, Clark and Washoe, as defendants.
“Nevada’s ballot receipt deadline clearly violates federal law and undermines election integrity in the state,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley stated.
“Ballots received days after Election Day should not be counted—the RNC and our partners are suing to secure an honest election, support Nevada voters, and oppose unlawful schemes.”
“Nevada effectively extends Nevada’s federal election past the Election Day established by Congress,” the complaint further stated.
“The result of Nevada’s violation of federal law is that timely, valid ballots are diluted by untimely, invalid ballots, which violates the rights of candidates, campaigns, and voters under federal law.”
The legal charges in Nevada followed an effort by the GOP in Mississippi and North Dakota to reject state laws allowing the tallying of ballots received after election day.
Over the past few months, the RNC has filed 83 election-related lawsuits, showing the seriousness and focus of the party on ensuring election integrity.
Danielle Alvarez, the RNC’s and Trump’s senior adviser, remarked that legal action was one of the party’s main priorities this year.
Nevada and 18 more states allow voting through mail ballots and tallying them even if they’re received post-election day. Several instances have proven its vulnerability, and that such a system can be exploited.
The GOP and Trump pressed in their complaint that “voting by mail is even more polarized by party in Nevada specifically.”
“In Nevada’s 2020 general election, 60.3% of Democratic voters voted by mail, compared to just 36.9% of Republican voters.”
The plaintiffs add: “Counting mail ballots received after Election Day doesn’t just dilute the valid ballots; it specifically and disproportionately harms Republican candidates and voters.”
Last March, the federal appeals court sided with the RNC as they filed a complaint in Pennsylvania about improperly dated absentee ballots.
In Arizona, the party asked the court to invalidate the state’s 200-page election manual.
Other groups also followed the RNC and filed similar lawsuits against the states, including Marly Hornik, the CEO of United Sovereign Americans.
