BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. — The Republican National Committee (RNC) has announced a new initiative aimed at mobilizing conservatives to serve as “election integrity” watchdogs during the upcoming November elections. The move has drawn criticism from the left, who fear it could lead to harassment of election workers and undermine voter trust.

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While the RNC insists that the initiative is meant to build faith in the electoral process and protect voters’ voices, critics argue that it could potentially repeat the events following the 2020 election, where claims of widespread fraud led to a ‘mostly peaceful’ protest at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.

The RNC’s plan focuses on countering “Democrat attempts to circumvent the rules” and involves deploying monitors to observe every step of the election process, setting up hotlines for poll watchers to report any perceived issues, and taking legal action to address those problems.

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RNC Chairman Michael Whatley stated that the committee would appoint election integrity directors in 15 states, particularly the most highly contested battlegrounds, and collaborate with state parties to implement similar programs in other states.

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During the kickoff event in Bloomfield Hills, RNC Co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, emphasized the importance of electoral integrity and learning from the lessons of the previous election.

“Every ballot. Every precinct. Every processing center. Every county. Every battleground state. We will be there.” – Lara Trump

She described the RNC’s election integrity program as “one of its kind” and highlighted the current focus of the committee on this initiative.

Both political parties have a history of organizing supporters to serve as poll monitors and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has announced its own plans for volunteer recruitment. Election officials in swing states have recognized the value of transparency and engagement in building confidence in the election process.

However, critics argue that the implementation and language surrounding the RNC’s effort could be problematic if it fuels the idea that the election will be stolen and subsequently leads to anger among supporters if their preferred candidate loses.

Former President Donald Trump has previously made claims of election fraud in 2016 and 2020, and he continues to predict a rigged election in this year’s race. At a recent rally in Las Vegas, he stated that the only way Democrats can win is by cheating and urged his supporters to prevent any misconduct.

The RNC leadership, chosen by Trump earlier this year, echoes his concerns about potential foul play in this year’s election. However, Lara Trump clarified on CNN that they would accept the results if they believed the election was free, fair, and transparent.

When asked about challenging the certification process in swing states if Trump narrowly loses, RNC Chairman Whatley indicated that they are not currently considering such actions.

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In the past, the RNC faced limitations in coordinating poll watching and other election integrity activities due to a federal court consent decree established to curb Republican-backed voter intimidation efforts. This decree was lifted in 2018.

The RNC’s initiative comes at a time when the GOP faces challenges compared to Democrats in traditional political infrastructure on the ground, such as campaign offices and canvassers. Biden’s campaign and the DNC have established numerous campaign offices nationwide, while Republicans are still waiting for the Trump campaign and the RNC to actively engage in these efforts.

DNC spokesperson Alex Floyd asserted that their party, alongside state and local partners, would not let Republicans off the hook for baseless attacks on democracy. They vowed to use all the necessary tools to ensure that every American can exercise their right to vote.

“Alongside our partners at the state and local level, won’t let MAGA Republicans get away with these baseless attacks on our democracy, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that all Americans can make their voice heard at the ballot box.” – Alex Floyd

The RNC’s kickoff event was held at the Oakland County GOP headquarters, a influential local party in Michigan. Despite Michigan’s status as a crucial state in previous elections, it has increasingly shifted toward Democrats in recent years, with Donald Trump losing the county in both his previous campaigns.

The RNC has focused much of its attention on Michigan, a state that Trump narrowly won in 2016 but allegedly lost to Biden in 2020.

Following the kickoff event in Michigan, the RNC’s “Protect Your Vote” tour is set to hold events in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia, with more visits to battleground states on the horizon.

Democrats and their allies in these states expressed doubts about Republicans’ motives, emphasizing their role in undermining public trust with repeated false claims about elections despite them doing the exact same thing.

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Allison Dahle, ranking Democrat on the House election law committee in North Carolina, suggested that Republican concerns about fraud would be better addressed by providing more resources to the State Board of Elections. Philadelphia-based lawyer Adam Bonin, who has represented the Democratic Party in election cases, reiterated that voters would have greater confidence if Republicans stopped spreading falsehoods about elections.

You can read the entire press release from The Republican National Committee below:

TRUMP CAMPAIGN AND RNC UNVEIL HISTORIC 100,000 PERSON STRONG ELECTION INTEGRITY PROGRAM

WASHINGTON – In an historic move to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, the Trump Campaign and the Republican National Committee (RNC) announce the launch of the most extensive and monumental election integrity program in the nation’s history.

About the launch, President Trump said, “Having the right people to count the ballots is just as important as turning out voters on Election Day. Republicans are now working together to protect the vote and ensure a big win on November 5th!”

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley, Co-Chair Lara Trump and Chief Counsel Charlie Spies, together with the Campaign, designed this new program to have over 100,000 dedicated volunteers and attorneys deployed across every battleground state as part of the RNC’s commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness in the 2024 elections.

“Election integrity is the foundation of our democracy,” said Chairman Whatley. “Through this unprecedented program, we are mobilizing lawyers and volunteers who are committed to preserving the sanctity of our elections.”

Whenever a ballot is being cast or counted, Republican poll watchers will be observing the process and reporting any irregularity. In the event of an irregularity or problem, RNC lawyers and the volunteer attorneys that they have coordinated will provide rapid response services to resolve the issue using a sophisticated, tested action protocol.

“The Democrat tricks from 2020 won’t work this time. In 2024 we’re going to beat the Democrats at their own game and the RNC legal team will be working tirelessly to ensure that elections officials follow the rules in administering elections. We will aggressively take them to court if they don’t follow rules or try to change them at the last minute,” said Charlie Spies. “President Trump has said that the Republican victory in November needs to be too big to rig. The political team will be working to ensure a huge victory for Republicans at all levels, and RNC legal is committed to making sure that victory can’t be rigged.”

“Every ballot. Every precinct. Every processing center. Every county. Every battleground state. We will be there,” said Co-Chair Lara Trump. “The RNC is hiring hundreds of election integrity staff across the map – more than ever before because our Party will be recruiting thousands of more observers to protect the vote in 2024. These campaign officials in states are tasked with recruiting, training, and when possible, shifting poll watchers and poll workers day in and day out.”

Partnered alongside the efforts of grassroots supporters and legal experts, the program is establishing a robust network of monitoring, and protection against any violation or fraud. This groundbreaking initiative underscores the unwavering commitment of the RNC and the Trump Campaign to protect the election.

To empower poll watchers, poll workers, and attorneys, comprehensive training sessions will be conducted every month on the monitoring of not only voting sites but also ballot tabulation centers. These trainings will equip volunteers with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively oversee potential problems in the electoral process, guaranteeing that every vote is counted accurately and fairly.

There are five areas of observation where we will guarantee coverage and aggressive attorneys will be engaged at all these stages to stop Democrat attempts to circumvent rules:

  1. Logic & Accuracy Machine Testing
  2. Early Voting
  3. Election Day Voting
  4. Mail Ballot Processing: Adjudication & Duplication
  5. Post-Election: Canvass, Audits, Recounts

Attorneys will be stationed at every single target processing center where mail ballots are tabulated. This program starts with lawyers committing to battleground state polling sites, county boards of elections, secretaries of state offices, and in the Republican Party War Rooms.

Every single battleground state is operating its own “Election Integrity Hotline.” The State Republican War Room is the command center where lawyers will field all incoming questions and issues reported by poll watchers and voters statewide. Lawyers will guide poll watchers through the appropriate election code and provide clarity on how various issues should be answered, resolved, or escalated. This system will be operational from the first day of early voting through election day – and afterward if necessary.

Under the leadership of Chairman Whatley and Co-Chair Trump, the RNC is executing an unprecedented legal strategy, fighting in courtrooms across the country. We will deliver a pro-active litigation effort every time election officials are breaking the law as well as intervene to defend commonsense election law safeguards under Democrat attack.

The RNC team of lawyers is already aggressively engaging in legal battles around the country. So far this cycle, the RNC has engaged in 82 election integrity lawsuits in 25 states.

The election integrity program’s scale and scope are unparalleled and reflects an historic collaboration between the RNC, the Trump Campaign, and passionate grassroots coalitions who are deeply invested in fighting voter fraud. Together, we will work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible voter can participate in a free and fair election.

For more information about the election integrity program and how to get involved, please visit www.protectthevote.com

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