NEXT FRIDAY!

Meet Republican Candidates

Rep. John Lujan and Adam Hinojosa

Just a reminder folks that we have two great candidates on the call coming up next Friday, October 14th. Rep. John Lujan (HD-118) currently serving in the Texas House and is seeking re-election and  Adam Hinojosa who is fighting to flip Senate District 17 from Blue to Red. No matter where you are in Texas, you'll be inspired from this call and you can even learn how you can help no matter where you live! If you haven't registered for the Zoom call yet, you can do so below. 

In the articles below you will see that the RNC is doing some incredible work across the country to ensure that elections remain free and fair. Keep reading to learn about the multi-state and multi-prong effort from RNC and Republican Legislatures. Lawsuits are underway, when necessary, to allow access to poll workers, honest voter registration and ensure only legal citizens vote and legal ballots are counted. Republican legislatures have strengthened elections laws and are working to ensure election integrity. Learn more below!

Rep. John Lujan Bio

Website

Adam Hinojosa Bio

Website

Call To Action

Friday, October 14th

7:00 a.m. CST

If you have missed any of our past meetings with our Republican candidates, you can find all of the recordings here on my website! 

RNC and RPAZ File Two Lawsuits Against Maricopa County

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) and Republican Party of Arizona (RPAZ) have filed two lawsuits against Maricopa County, Arizona for failing to meet basic standards of election transparency and adding unnecessarily burdensome requirements for poll workers just 34 days ahead of midterm elections. 

“After several weeks of negotiations, Maricopa County left us no choice but to sue because Arizonans who want to be poll workers shouldn’t be shut out of the process. With midterms just 34 days away, Arizonans deserve basic transparency about how their elections will be conducted. This legal offensive is the latest step in Republicans’ ongoing efforts to promote free, fair, and transparent elections in Arizona.” – RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and RPAZ Chairwoman Dr. Kelli Ward

Background:

1. On October 4th, and October 5th, 2022, the Republican National Committee (“RNC”) and the Republican Party of Arizona (“RPAZ”) filed two lawsuits against Maricopa County.
2. On September 9th, the RNC sent demand letters to Maricopa County requesting answers about the county’s failure to hire an equal number of Republican and Democrat poll workers and creating extraordinarily stringent requirements for volunteers hoping to become poll workers.
3. The county refused to cooperate with our request for transparency and gave our Republican coalition no option but to sue.
4. The first lawsuit challenges Maricopa County’s lack of transparency and its refusal to turn over public records regarding their statutory duty to ensure that both parties have equal representation in the number of poll workers.
5. The second lawsuit challenges the burdensome requirements Maricopa County has placed on election workers. These requirements have resulted in an unequal amount of Republican election workers in previous elections.
6. These are just the latest in several recent actions the RNC and RPAZ have taken to ensure the integrity of the state’s elections:
7. July 2021: RNC and RPAZ help secure victory at U.S. Supreme Court in Brnovich v. DNC upholding Arizona’s ban on ballot harvesting.
8. RNC and RPAZ intervened to successfully defend against challenge to state laws that ensure only eligible voters are automatically mailed ballots and to preserve election day curing deadline for mail ballots without signatures.
9. Intervening to defend several challenges to new Arizona law that verifies citizenship for those registering to vote.
10. Read more from Breitbart News here. 

Election Regulatory, Directive, and Initiative Tracker

Voting Litigation Overview

Federal Legislative Highlights

The Senate passed S.3969, the Protection and Advocacy for Voting Access “PAVA” Program Inclusion Act, which authorizes funding to ensure voters with disabilities have access to all aspects of the voting process.

State Legislative Highlights

Michigan

This week, Republican lawmakers and Governor Whitmer agreed to an election package that includes:

1. HB4491:
2. requires clerks to delete dead voters from their rolls every month and more often closer to an election;
3. allows local clerks to begin pre-processing absentee ballots two days before the election, any clerk wishing to pre-process must notify the SOS 20 days before Election Day; and
4. tightens rules for officials collecting ballots from drop boxes and requires election officials to maintain a log each time they collect ballots.
5. These requirements must be in place by October 20, 2022.
6. HB6124: requires the Secretary of State to establish comprehensive training for poll challengers, defining their “powers, rights and duties” on Election Day. Poll challengers are people sent by political parties and interest groups to precincts to lodge complaints if they see wrongdoing. 
7. SB311: allows active-duty military to cast ballots electronically.
8. HB6071: expands the types of places that can be polling locations. 

State Rulemaking

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin Election Commission voted to initiate the process of reviewing rules of election observers by sending a scope statement to Governor Evener outlining their intent of the review. If approved by the Governor, the statement would be open for public comment.

State Litigation Highlights

Arizona 

There are several pending voting lawsuits in Arizona: 

1. Mi Familia Vota v. Hobbs (AKA Mi Familia Vota I):
2. Filed in August 2021, challenging S.B. 1485, which removes voters from the permanent mail ballot list if a voter does not vote by mail in two straight election cycles; and SB1003, which requires voters to “cure” signature-less ballots by 7PM on Election Day. 
3. The RNC and the NRSC are intervenor-defendants. The DCCC and DSCC also intervened as plaintiffs. DOJ filed a statement of interest in the case in November, 2021. 
4. On June 24, 2022, the court granted in part and denied in part defendants’ motion to dismiss. The court (1) allowed plaintiffs to pursue their claim that SB1485 was enacted with a discriminatory intent, and (2) dismissed the remaining claims but granted plaintiffs’ leave to file an amended complaint. The plaintiffs and plaintiff-intervenors opted not to amend their complaints.
5. On August 15, 2022, the RNC joined the Attorney General’s 54(b) motion to enter judgment on the dismissed claims. 
6. HB2492 Challenges: There are 6 lawsuits challenging HB2492 (and other legislation) that requires proof of citizenship for registrants using the national voter registration form:
7. 5 of the 6 lawsuits have been consolidated: 1. Mi Familia Vota v. Hobbs (Mi Familia Vota II); 2. Living United for Change in Arizona v. Hobbs; 3. Poder Latinx v. Hobbs; 4. United States v. Arizona; and 5. DNC v. Hobbs: The RNC was granted intervention in DNC, and moved to intervene in the other four.
8. On September 16, AZ defendants filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim and for lack of jurisdiction.
9. The state moved to consolidate the sixth (AZ AANHPI v. Hobbs), which also challenges HB2243. In that case, plaintiffs and the state entered into a stipulated agreement that the law would not be in effect for the November election (which was the state’s position anyways).
10. In anticipation of the court granting consolidation, defendant Brnovich filed a motion for leave to file a consolidated motion to dismiss on September 16.
11. Arizona Alliance for Retired Americans v. Hobbs:
12. ​​​​​​​This suit challenges SB1260 which, among other provisions, allows counties to cancel a voter’s registration upon confirmation that the voter is registered in another Arizona county. On September 2, 2022, plaintiffs filed an amended complaint.
13. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​On September 8, plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking to prohibit the state from enforcing certain provisions of SB1260.
14. On September 12, the Yuma County Republican Committee (YCRC) moved to intervene.
15. The court held a status conference on September 14 where it ordered an expedited briefing on the motion to intervene and the motion for preliminary injunction.
16. The court granted YCRC’s motion to intervene on September 23.
17. On September 26, the court granted plaintiff’s motion for preliminary injunction as to the felony and cancellation provisions but denied the injunction as to the removal provisions.
18. On September 27, defendant AG Brnovich and YCRC filed an emergency motion to stay its September 26 decision preliminary enjoining the implementation of the cancellation and felony provisions and filed an interlocutory appeal in the 9th Circuit.

Delaware 

On September 14, a Delaware Chancery Court judge struck down a law that would have expanded mail-in voting and declared that mail-in voting cannot be used in the November election. The Public Interest Legal Foundation organized and brought the challenge. Jane Brady, Delaware Republican Party Chairwoman, served as counsel on the case. On September 16, defendants filed a notice of appeal in the Delaware Supreme Court, who expedited the appeal. The Chancery Court granted defendants’ motion to stay the September 14 injunction pending the appeal. Oral arguments are scheduled to occur at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2022.

Florida 

In June 2021, the RNC and NRSC were granted intervention in all four lawsuits challenging provisions of SB90, Florida’s 2021 election reform legislation. On March 31, 2022, the district court permanently enjoined multiple provisions of SB90 including the required registration disclaimers for third party voter registration organizations (§ 97.0575(3)(a)), registration delivery provisions for third party voter registration organizations (id.), drop box regulations (§§ 101.69(2)-(3)), and line warming provisions (§§ 102.031(4)(a)-(b)). On May 6, 2022, the 11th Circuit granted the defendants’ stay request, leaving in effect provisions previously struck down by the lower court and rejecting the district court’s order to put Florida under “preclearance” for 10 years. On June 9, 2022, the 11th Circuit granted plaintiff’s motion to expedite the appeal. On August 31, the RNC and the NRSC filed a reply brief with the 11th Circuit. Update: Oral arguments were held on September 15 in Miami (link to audio of argument). 

Georgia   

In July 2021, the RNC, NRSC, NRCC, and GA GOP were granted intervention in 8 lawsuits, including the DOJ’s lawsuit against the state, challenging provisions of SB202 . Previously, the court denied motions to dismiss for lack of standing and on the merits, filed by the RNC, other Republican organizations, and Republican lawmakers in Georgia in 8 of the lawsuits. In December 2021, the court denied the motions to dismiss filed by the State, RNC, NRSC, NRCC, and the GA GOP. On June 30, 2022, the court denied plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction in the Vote America suit. On July 18, 2022, a preliminary injunction hearing was held in the New Georgia Project consolidated case. On August 18, 2022, the court denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction regarding the line warming ban claim.   

Update: One of the plaintiffs who challenged SB202 as violating its First Amendment right to distribute absentee ballot applications as speech voluntarily dismissed its claims against GA Secretary of State Raffensperger. After litigating the case for well over a year, the plaintiff concluded its practices did not violate SB 202.

On May 2, 2022, a group of liberal organizations sued Georgia’s Election Board challenging a state law that requires handwritten signatures on absentee ballot applications. The groups seek declaratory and injunctive relief, requesting the court find that the so-called Pen and Ink rule violates the Civil Rights Act and to enjoin its enforcement. The RNC and GAGOP moved to intervene in the litigation on June 24, 2022. On July 13, 2022, the Georgia Election Board moved to dismiss the claims against them. The RNC and GAGOP’s motion to intervene was granted on August 4, 2022.   

Iowa   

The RNC, Iowa GOP, NRCC, and NRSC were granted intervention to defend against a lawsuit challenging provisions of SF413 and SF568 . The trial set for March 21, 2022, was pushed back in light of discovery disputes between the Iowa legislature and plaintiffs. On March 16, 2022, the IA Supreme Court granted certiorari to resolve these discovery disputes. After a hearing over the ongoing discovery disputes on July 15, 2022, the court issued an order compelling discovery on August 18, 2022.    

Michigan 

In 2019, activist groups challenged Michigan elections laws that restrict paid voter transportation services and out-of-state organizations assisting voters with absentee ballot applications. The RNC and MIGOP were granted intervention in the case. The district court initially granted an injunction that prohibited Michigan from enforcing its voter transportation restriction, but the 6th Circuit reversed. On March 21, 2022, the RNC and other Republican groups filed a motion for summary judgment and asked the district court to dismiss the suit. On March 29, 2022, Uber filed an amicus brief on behalf of the activist groups. Update: On September 15, the court dismissed plaintiffs’ claims and struck down Uber’s amicus brief as moot. 

Missouri 

A lawsuit filed on June 22, 2022, by several civil rights activists against the state argues the state’s limitations on voter assistance violate the Voting Rights Act. A 1977 Missouri law states that no one can assist more than one voter per election unless they are immediate family members or an election judge. On August 23, the defendants filed a motion to dismiss the case. A trial is scheduled to begin on June 26, 2023. On September 16, the United States Department of Justice filed a statement of interest in the case. 

The MO League of Women Voters and MO NAACP filed two lawsuits challenging provisions of HB 1878 that prohibit compensation for voter registration activities, ban the solicitation of absentee ballot applications, and create photo ID requirements. 

Montana 

In April 2021, the Montana Democrat Party and activist groups sued the state over its election integrity measures, which include elimination of Election Day voter registration, types of voter ID permitted, and paid ballot harvesting. On April 6, 2022, a state court temporarily suspended enforcement of these laws. The case has been appealed to the MT Supreme Court. On May 17, 2022, the MT Supreme Court granted defendant’s stay of the preliminary injunction. On June 9, 2022, Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (RITE) filed an amicus brief on behalf of the state. On July 12, 2022, the MT Supreme Court announced it would hear the case en banc and decide the case on the written briefings. On September 21, the MT Supreme Court upheld the state court’s decision from April 6, 2022 granting a preliminary injunction. 

On August 25, trial concluded in Montana Democratic Party v. Jacobson, a challenge to Montana’s recent election reforms. A decision is expected in the coming weeks. 

Nevada 

On September 20, the RNC filed a lawsuit against Clark County after the county refused to disclose records about its poll workers, including the workers’ partisan representation. The RNC requested this information to determine whether Clark County was meeting the legal requirements that all poll workers in a voting location not be from the same political party. The County refused even though the RNC agreed to keep the information confidential. Less than 24 hours after the suit was filed, Clark County agreed to provide some of the information requested. 

New Hampshire 

Immediately after Governor Sununu signed SB418 into law, progressive groups filed a lawsuit challenging the new affidavit ballot law. The lawsuit seeks to have the court declare SB418 violates the New Hampshire Constitution and issue a permanent injunction to block its enforcement. On June 21, 2022, the ACLU also sued New Hampshire. The cases were consolidated on July 19, and the state has a deadline of August 26, 2022 to file a responsive pleading. On September 1, the NH Republican State Committee (NHRSC) filed a motion to intervene to defend SB418. On September 12, 2022, plaintiffs filed an opposition to the NHGOP’s motion to intervene. 

New Jersey 

On July 29, 2022, the RNC sued the Mercer County Board of Elections after the Board refused to provide publicly available documents related to the county's administration of elections as required by law. The case will be heard on October 4. 

Nevada:

A Carson City District Court judge denied the Progressive Leadership Alliance’s motion attempting to stop counties from hand counting ballots in the Nov. 8 election.

New York 

The RNC, NRCC, and New York State Republican Committee filed a motion to intervene in a case brought by Democrats challenging NY ballot rejection practices. On May 13, 2022, the court granted the RNC’s motion to intervene. On July 13, 2022, the court denied the Democrats’ motion for a preliminary injunction except that local election boards must allow the existing notice and cure procedures shall be applied to absentee ballots missing postmarks received between 2 and 7 days after Election Day for the upcoming 2022 elections. On August 5, 2022, the court granted the parties’ joint motion to stay further proceedings until after the November 2022 elections. 

In January 2022, the RNC and NYGOP, leading a broad bipartisan coalition of officeholders and concerned citizens, including Congresswoman Malliotakis and naturalized citizen voters, sued Mayor Eric Adams, the New York City Council, and the New York City Board of Elections in state court over the “Non-Citizen Voting Law,” which illegally allows non-citizens to vote in city elections. The complaint is available here. The NYC Board of Elections has since requested that the state review the law and issue an opinion on its legality. On June 27, 2022, Judge Porzio struck down the Non-Citizen Voting Law, explaining in his opinion that it violates the New York Constitution, New York election law, and the Municipal Home Rule Law. On July 22, 2022, New York City filed a notice of appeal. On July 25, 2022, the intervenor defendants filed a notice of appeal. 

A lawsuit backed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) filed in federal court on August 29, 2022 challenges the “Non-Citizen Voting Law” on the grounds that it violates the 15th Amendment and the Voting Rights Act. 

On July 20, members from the Schoharie County Republican Committee sued to stop the expansion of absentee voting that grew as a result of COVID-19. New York has essentially permitted no-excuse absentee voting since the inception of COVID-19 even though its state constitution does not permit it. The plaintiffs filed a motion for a preliminary injunction on August 18, and defendants filed a motion to dismiss the suit on August 29. On September 19, the court denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction and granted defendant’s motion to dismiss. 

North Carolina  

The Supreme Court granted writ of certiorari in Moore v. Harper on June 30, 2022. The lawsuit challenges the congressional maps drawn by North Carolina lawmakers. The petition for review came after the North Carolina Supreme Court blocked the state from using the challenged maps in the primary election and required redrawn districts. Arguments in the case are expected in the fall. The NC Legislature filed its opening brief on August 29, 2022. Multiple groups on both sides of the case, including the RNC, filed amicus briefs which can be found here. 

Disability Rights North Carolina sued the State Board of Elections (NCSBE) last September over state laws that prohibited certain people from assisting absentee voters who are disabled and live in hospitals or nursing homes. On July 11, 2022, the court ruled that voters with disabilities can receive assistance from anyone they choose other than the voter’s employer or union agent. On August 29, 2022, the NCSBE issued a numbered memo with guidance carrying out the ruling. 

On September 9, 2022, the RNC, NCGOP, and the chairwoman of the Clay County GOP sued the NCSBE. Plaintiffs allege NCSBE’s Numbered Memo 2022-09 exceeds NCSBE’s statutory authority because it restricts at-large election observers’ access and extends the return deadline for absentee mail ballots. On September 16, plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction, and a request for an expedited hearing, to stop defendants from enforcing the Memo during the November 2022 election and prevent defendants from accepting civilian mail-in ballots through November 14. On September 19, the NC Alliance of Retired Americans filed a motion to intervene on behalf of defendants. The court scheduled a hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction for Thursday, October 13 at 2:30pm. 

The North Carolina Supreme Court will hear a challenge to the state’s photo ID law the week of October 3, 2022.  

Pennsylvania  

On September 1, 2022, the RNC, NRSC, NRCC, Pennsylvania GOP, and 12 individual voters sued the Pennsylvania and all 67 counties for unlawful ballot curing in violation of state law and the U.S. Constitution. A link to the RNC’s press release is available here. On September 7, 2022, plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary injunction. On Friday, September 9, 2022, the DSCC, DCCC, DNC, and PA Democratic Party filed motions to intervene. At a hearing on September 22, the court granted the motions to intervene and heard arguments on plaintiffs’ preliminary injunction motion. Final briefs on the preliminary injunction are due on Monday, September 26, 2022, with a ruling to follow shortly thereafter. RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel wrote an op-ed in support of the litigation. The RNC filed a supplemental brief in support of its requested preliminary injunction on September 26. Update: On September 29, the Commonwealth Court denied plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction. 

On September 1, 2022, America First Legal (AFL) filed a lawsuit against Lehigh County and the Lehigh County Board of Elections seeking to compel their immediate compliance with Pennsylvania’s election laws in connection with ballot drop boxes in Lehigh County. On Friday, September 9, 2022, the Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans filed a motion to intervene. A hearing on plaintiff’s motion for a preliminary injunction, which would prohibit defendants from receiving and counting invalid and void ballots, is scheduled for October 7. Update: On September 15, 2022, AFL filed a second suit regarding understaffed drop boxes against the Chester County Board of Elections. On September 23, the PA Alliance for Retired Americans filed a motion to intervene on behalf of Chester County Board of Elections.  

In January, five voters who failed to date their ballot sued the Lehigh County Board of Elections in federal court to have their votes counted, particularly as it related to a close race for Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas. Both Ritter (initially one of the winning candidates) and a losing candidate in the election intervened. After the district court declined to delay certification, the 3rd Circuit issued a temporary injunction preventing the County Board from certifying. On May 20, the 3rd Circuit ruled that the date requirement was immaterial and ordered the undated ballots be counted. An initial administrative stay by SCOTUS was vacated in a 6-3 order with Justices Alito, Thomas, and Gorsuch dissenting. The district court accordingly ordered the Lehigh County Board of Elections to count the undated ballots in accordance with the 3rd Circuit’s decision. Ritter conceded the contested election for Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas judgeship on June 21, 2022. Ritter filed a cert petition with SCOTUS asking the court vacate the 3rd Circuit’s decision. Several groups filed amicus briefs in support of Ritter’s petition. On September 9, 2022, the petitioners filed a reply brief. 

In another suit stemming from the undated ballot issue, 14 Republican members of the PA House of Representatives sued on July 20, 2022, asking the court to invalidate all remaining provisions of Act 77 that are still in effect in light of the law’s “non-severability provision.” The court allowed the DSCC, DCCC, DNC, and PA Democratic Party to intervene. A hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2022, to address multiple motions before the court.    

Texas   

The DOJ sued the State of Texas and the Secretary of State, challenging certain provisions of SB1, Texas’ 2021 voting integrity legislation. The DOJ claims SB1 violates Section 208 of the Voting Rights Act and Section 101 of the Civil Rights Act. The RNC, NRCC, NRSC, and Dallas and Harris County Republican Parties moved to intervene in the DOJ suit and others challenging SB1. The court denied the party committees’ motion to intervene, but the 5th Circuit reversed and ruled that the Republican committees were entitled to intervention as of right. The RNC and other party committees re-filed for intervention, which was granted by the district court on May 13, 2022. On May 24, the court denied plaintiff’s motion to dismiss. On May 31, 2022, the court granted the parties’ unopposed motion to stay pending appeal. On June 8, 2022, the court set a bench trial for July 17, 2023. On June 14, 2022, the court ordered a modified permanent injunction. On July 12, 2022, the court granted in part and denied in part defendant’s motion to dismiss, allowing only the claims brought by LULAC Texas, Voto Latino, the Texas Alliance for Retired Americans, and Texas AFT against the Texas Secretary of State and the Texas Attorney General to proceed. On August 2, 2022, the court granted in part and denied in part defendant’s motion to dismiss, further limiting the claims allowed to proceed. Two interlocutory appeals as to the court’s August 2 judgment were filed in the 5th Circuit. 

The 5th Circuit, in two similar cases challenging various provisions of the Texas election code, directed the lower court to dismiss the Secretary of State from the case because he was not a proper defendant.   

On June 16, 2022, a federal court granted plaintiff’s motion for summary judgement and issued a permanent injunction to block Texas House Bill 3107’s wet signature requirement. The judge held the wet signature requirement violated the First and Fourteenth Amendments because it creates an undue burden on the right to vote. On June 17, 2022, the intervenor defendants filed an appeal; and on June 21, 2022, the court denied their motion to stay. On June 29, 2022, the court granted appellant’s motion for a temporary administrative stay pending consideration of the motion for stay pending appeal.   

A federal judge has struck down  a Texas law that imposed new residency requirements for voters, siding with two Latino civil and voting rights groups who say the law is discriminatory. The intervenor defendants filed an appeal and a motion to stay the decision pending the appeal. On August 26, the 5th Circuit granted the intervenor defendant’s motion for temporary administrative stay. On September 7, the court ordered an expedited appeal. Oral arguments are scheduled for October 6, 2022, in New Orleans. On September 21, the lower court issued an amended order, which reinforced its opinion striking down the law, following defendant’s motion for clarification.

Vermont   

In September 2021, the RNC sued the cities of Montpelier and Winooski over their new town charters that allow non-citizens to vote in their municipal elections. The lawsuit also raises important concerns about how the laws will be implemented and whether non-citizens will end up on the same voter registration lists used for state-level and federal elections. The RNC is joined in the suit by the VT GOP and several concerned Vermont voters. A hearing on the motion to dismiss in the Montpelier litigation was held on March 31, 2022. On April 1, 2022, the Montpelier court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss , finding plaintiffs have standing, but under its interpretation of VT Supreme Court precedent, was required to dismiss the case. The RNC and other plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal on April 29, 2022. The hearing on the motion to dismiss in the Winooski case took place on June 27, 2022. The court granted the motion to dismiss in the Winooski case. On September 19, the VT Solicitor General intervened in both cases. The Winooski case was closed by the court on September 20, but the Montpelier case is ongoing. Oral arguments in the Montpelier case are expected to occur on October 26, 22.

Wisconsin   

On September 23, an individual voter supported by the RNC and Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections (“RITE”) sued WEC over WEC’s current guidance that allows absentee voters to change their votes after they are cast.

On September 26, the Republican Party of Wisconsin and the National Republican Senatorial Committee sued the Mayor of Milwaukee after the city failed to turn over documents related to the “Milwaukee Votes 2022” initiative.

In a related suit, the Republican Party of Wisconsin sued the City of Milwaukee on September 28 over the “Milwaukee Votes 2022” initiative. Records released to plaintiffs appear to show coordination between the Milwaukee Mayor’s office and long-time Democrat operatives.

On July 12, 2022, the Waukesha County Republican Party and three individuals sued the Wisconsin Elections Commission (WEC) for unlawful guidance it issued regarding curing witness information required on absentee ballot declarations. Plaintiffs filed a motion for temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction on August 2, 2022. The Waukesha County Democratic Party, the WI State Legislature, and the League of Women Voters filed motions to intervene were granted. The RNC filed a reply brief on August 30, 2022. On September 7, the court ruled that WEC’s guidance was unlawful and ordered WEC to revoke the guidance by September 14. The defendants filed a motion for the court to stay its decision pending an appeal. The court denied the defendant’s motion at a hearing on September 13.  

RISE sued WEC on September 27 arguing that election officials should be allowed to accept absentee ballots with partial witness addresses if the official can discern the correct information. This suit comes weeks after a circuit court judge ruled that election officials cannot fix or complete witness address information on absentee ballot envelopes. 

On September 6, 2022, a WEC complaint, supported by the RNC, was filed in Milwaukee challenging the unlawful use of alternate in-person voting sites and “voting by appointment.” 

On July 22, 2022, 4 WI voters with disabilities sued WEC in federal court. This suit is in response to WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe’s public statements that ballot-return assistance is no longer permissible for any method of absentee voting. A hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and emergency declaratory relief was held on August 24, 2022. On August 31, the court ruled voters with disabilities must be allowed to receive assistance in physically returning their ballots. in federal court. This suit is in response to WEC Administrator Meagan Wolfe’s public statements that ballot-return assistance is no longer permissible for any method of absentee voting. A hearing on plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction and emergency declaratory relief was held on August 24, 2022. Update: On August 31, the court ruled voters with disabilities must be allowed to receive assistance in physically returning their ballots. Following the order, WEC published guidance. 

On August 31, Honest Open Transparent Government and state Senate candidate Jay Stone filed a complaint against WEC. The complaint alleges that the statutory authority to process ballot requests remains with local municipal clerks, not WEC’s website, MyVote. WEC declined to review the complaint, citing conflict of interest concerns. 

In accordance with the recent U.S. District Court ruling in Carey v. Wisconsin Elections Commission, WEC approved guidance to county and municipal clerks regarding voters who require assistance with mailing or delivering their absentee ballot due to a disability. 

On September 15, the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty sued WEC for its use of the National Voter Registration Form, which adds extra criteria not authorized by statute while also simultaneously failing to include items mandated by statute. On September 28, Vote.org filed a motion to intervene on behalf of WEC.

Other News    

1. National: The Center for Renewing America filed two complaints —against Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan and against the groups Center for Tech and Civic Life, Center for Election Innovation and Research, and National Vote at Home Institute—with the Internal Revenue Service. The complaints allege that Zuckerberg and the three groups were involved in a scheme to inject nearly $500 million into the 2020 election in order to "throw it" to President Biden.

2. National: A Democrat super PAC (Priorities USA) will spend $10 million on “voting rights” litigation and $5 million on digital ads that seek to directly reach minority voters in Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan and Nevada.

3. National: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered qualified support for the Presidential Election Reform Act—a bipartisan Senate bill that would overhaul a 19^th century law that governs the way Congress counts and ratifies presidential elector votes.

4. National: The Supreme Court is set to hear two cases with potential major implications on election law nationwide. The first case involves the Independent State Legislature theory from a lawsuit out of North Carolina. The second lawsuit is out of Alabama and involves a challenge to the state’s congressional map.

5. IA: Cedar Rapids will not pursue ranked choice voting, as there was a push for the City Council to study the electoral method should it become allowable under state law.

6. KY: Secretary of State Michael Adams announced that, following two years of flatlined voter registration, Kentucky saw a surge, with 9,631 new voters joining the rolls in August.

7. MI: Flint’s longtime city clerk is retiring after pressure on her office demanding she balance out the number of Democrat and Republican election inspectors for the November election.

8. MN: Elections officials in Ramsey County explained that a recently-deceased candidate was printed on the ballots for a legislative race due to a clerical error.

9. NH: The state Attorney General’s office has issued a cease and desist order against the New Hampshire Democrat Party over a political mailer that it says caused "voter confusion."

10.  NY: The Queens district attorney is probing alleged voter fraud targeting Assemblyman Ron Kim in the June Democrat primary, which highlights vulnerabilities in the use of absentee ballots across the state.

11.  PA: Former U.S. Congressman Michael “Ozzie” Myers plead guilty to conspiracy to deprive voters of civil rights, bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of voting records, conspiring to illegally vote in a federal election, and for orchestrating schemes to fraudulently stuff the ballot boxes for specific Democrat candidates in the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 Pennsylvania elections.

12.  TX: Secretary of State John Scott today released the second installment of ‘SOS 101,’ a series of videos educating voters about election administration in Texas ahead of the November 8, 2022, General Election.

13.  WI: Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson and his aide sought advice from a Democrat Party operative on how to explain a citywide get-out-the-vote campaign that critics have called Zuckerbucks 2.0, according to texts and emails obtained by Empower Wisconsin.

14.  WI: The state GOP filed a new lawsuit seeking to shut down a privately funded effort to turn out voters in Milwaukee, arguing involvement by city officials violates state law.

15.  Op-Ed: The Heritage Foundation’s Hans von Spakovsky discusses the politically motivated abuse of federal law by both the FBI and the Justice Department in the arrest of a Pennsylvania man.

16.  Op-Ed: Independent Women’s Forum’s Maya Noronha discusses the impacts of voting by mail and its promotion by the Biden Administration.

TFRW RED HEEL BRIGADE

I am excited to share with you that TFRW is working with the RNC, The Dallas and Collin County GOP locations and other partners in coordinating a multi-organizational block walk for the Republican candidates across Texas. We have several of these currently scheduled, all are invited to join!

OCTOBER 7TH-8TH

We will be in McAllen, Laredo and San Antonio campaigning for the Valley and statewide candidates - We will be utilizing the RNC Community Centers.

 115 W. Nolana Ave., McAllen, TX

 2402 Jacaman Rd., Laredo, TX

6214 Pecan Valley Dr., San Antonio, TX

OCTOBER 14TH-15TH

We will be in Dallas with the Dallas GOP and area clubs focusing on the North Dallas campaigns.

11617 N. Central Expressway, Suite 240, Dallas, TX

OCTOBER 21ST-22ND

We will be in Collin County with the Collin GOP Victory Team and area clubs to walk for the Collin County slate, working to keep our Republican majority in one of the fastest growing areas.

2963 W. 15th St., Suite 2981, Plano, TX

OCTOBER 28TH

We will be in Houston, more details to follow.

For any information regarding any of these events be sure to contact TFRW at tfrw@tfrw.org!

The Fentanyl Crisis

Thanks to Biden's border crisis, illicit drugs are flowing into the country at an alarming rate at the same time as crime is surging. 

What you need to know:

2,204 pounds of deadly fentanyl was seized at the southern border in August alone, with much more likely getting through.

• This is the equivalent of more than 500 million lethal doses. ​​​​
• The DEA warns that Mexican cartels are smuggling fentanyl into the U.S. and “killing Americans with fentanyl at catastrophic and record rates like we’ve never seen before.”
• Fentanyl overdoses are now the leading cause of death for Americans age 18 to 45. 

Every community has been affected.

• People as young as four months old and as old as 81 years old have been killed.

Now "rainbow fentanyl" has added to the devastating crisis of fentanyl overdoses in  communities across the country.

• "Rainbow fentanyl" is 50 times more potent than heroin. 
• It's not just a border issue as 18 states have reported rainbow fentanyl seizures.

"Rainbow fentanyl" is is designed by the cartels to target children and teens . 

• School districts are preparing for a flood of drugs into schools.
• In Connecticut, officials seized 15,000 fentanyl pills disguised as candy.

The bottom line:

Joe Biden and his Administration must secure the border before more Americans are hurt or killed by this crisis. 

Midterm Elections Update

Republicans are in a strong position heading into the midterm elections, including taking back the House and Senate majorities. 

What you need to know:

We have seen high Republican turnout in the primaries that have already occurred.

• PA: Republicans had higher turnout than Democrats - the first time that has happened in a decade. 
• NC: Republican turnout was 86% higher than it was in the 2018 midterm and near Presidential-level turnout. 
• FL: Democrats had competitive primaries for senate and governor. Republicans didn't. Still, over 170,000 more Republican ballots were cast than Democrat ballots in Florida. 
• NV: Newly registered Republicans participated in the primary at higher rates than newly registered Democrats. 
• GA: Four times as many Black voters cast GOP ballots early this year; also, Hispanic and Asian communities also turned out in record-setting numbers.​

Voters across the country have nominated a great slate of candidates at the congressional, statewide, and local level: 

• Strong statewide Senate candidates including Dr. Mehmet Oz, JD Vance, Adam Laxalt, Katie Britt, Joe O’Dea, Blake Masters, Herschel Walker, Tiffany Smiley, Don Bolduc, and Ted Budd.
• Hispanic Congressional candidates including Monica de la Cruz (TX), Michelle Garcia Holmes (NM), Yesli Vega (VA), and Cassy Garcia (TX).
• Female Congressional candidates including Madison Gesiotto Gilbert (OH), Jen Kiggans (VA), April Becker (NV), Esther Joy King (IL), Mary Miller (IL), Erin Houchin (IN), and Karoline Leavitt (NH). 
• Black Congressional candidates including Wesley Hunt (TX), John James (MI), Billy Prempeh (NJ), George Logan (CT), and Jennifer-Ruth Green (IN). 
• APA candidates including Michelle Steel (CA), Young Kim (CA), Allan Fung (RI), and Hung Cao (VA). 
• Candidates who served in our military including Morgan Luttrell (TX), Ryan Zinke (MT), Zach Nunn (IA), and Derrick Van Orden (WI). 

Republicans are focusing on issues that matter to families and voters in all communities: education, keeping our communities safe, and rising prices for everything from gas to groceries. 

Joe Biden’s approval rating continues to fall and he is a drag on Democrat candidates.

• 68% of Americans think the country is on the wrong track. 
• 53% of Americans disapprove of the job Biden is doing, and he is 10 points underwater with just 42% approving. 
• Do not buy into the media/polling feedback loop. The media has to create tension, it is good for business.

Joe Biden and Democrats have brought crisis after crisis and the American people are paying the price. 

• A supply chain crisis and inflation at a 40 year high;
• A baby formula shortage that has left families struggling to feed infants; 
• High gas prices; 
• An out of control border crisis that has made our communities less safe and has allowed fentanyl pour into our communities; 
• Rising crime in Democrat-run cities across the country;
• A disastrous foreign policy agenda that has America leading from behind, a crisis in Ukraine because of Biden’s weak leadership, and a botched Afghanistan withdrawal that left Americans killed and stranded. 

The RNC has made significant investments in the midterms and to grow our Party with minority communities. 

• The RNC has over: 
• 700 staffers; 
• 720,000 volunteers; 
• 60 million voter contacts; 
• And 38 Community Centers this cycle.

The bottom line:

We are confident about 2022 – but we can’t afford to get complacent. 

• Daily Caller, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel: America Is Barreling Toward A Cliff's Edge Because Of Democrats - There's A Better Way Forward 

• Newsmax, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel: Biden's Policies Will Take Congressional Dems Down

• Daily Caller, Kay Smythe: Jimmy Kimmel Mocks Dangers Of Fentanyl While Trying To Own Republicans

• The Washington Times, Sen. John Barrasso: President Biden's Misguided Energy Transition

• The Washington Free Beacon, Joseph Simonson: Tim Ryan Says Americans Need To Give Up Gas Cars As He Drives Around Ohio In Gas Guzzlers

• The Washington Free Beacon, Collin Anderson: As AG, Cortez Masto Left Thousands Of Rape Kits Untested. Laxalt Helped Clear The Backlog - And Arrests Followed.



• More Families Go Hungry In Biden's America
• Biden Robs Retirees
• Democrats: Wokeness First, Americans Last

Thank you for allowing me to continue to serve you as your Texas Representative to the RNC! As always, feel free to reach out to me with any questions you might have at tad@toniannedashiell.com, or follow me on Facebook or Twitter at the links below. Thank you for being a strong Texas Republican, and together, let us work to Keep Texas RED!