Over the past year, the RNC has taken quite an active stance in the courtroom, filing a notable 135 lawsuits in 26 states, according to RNC Chairman Michael Whatley. Alongside these cases are countless Republican-supported legal challenges in key battleground states. While some of these cases aimed to curb absentee voting laws in swing states didn’t go the GOP’s way, a few have brought home victories, paving the way for a tighter voting process as both sides brace for what could be an Election Day showdown.
Among the recent wins are two cases that Republicans see as crucial in securing election integrity. In Virginia, the courts sided with the GOP on a push to remove noncitizens from the state’s voter rolls. Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania’s Bucks County, a judge extended the early voting deadline after evidence emerged that some voters had been improperly turned away. Whatley, speaking to reporters, emphasized that the GOP’s legal push isn’t about contesting every little rule but rather about enforcing fundamental election safeguards.
Whatley outlined the Republican approach to election-related lawsuits, emphasizing four main areas. First, the GOP wants only American citizens voting—a seemingly simple request, but one that’s been the source of heated legal battles. Second, voter ID laws are high on the list, as Republicans seek to standardize identification requirements nationwide. The third priority is keeping voter rolls accurate and up-to-date, and lastly, implementing basic protections for mail-in ballots in states that allow them. According to Whatley, “This is not election denialism. It’s about common-sense measures that most Americans support.”
These comments come on the heels of legal successes that have Republicans feeling emboldened. Virginia’s Supreme Court ruling allows the state to continue removing ineligible or noncitizen voters from its rolls, while in Pennsylvania, a judge’s decision to extend early voting hours in Bucks County—a region that leaned toward Biden by four points in 2020—has given Republicans more time to make their case to voters there.
With memories of failed post-2020 legal challenges still fresh, Republicans seem to be embracing a new, more proactive approach to election law. After those unsuccessful efforts, they’re now taking the initiative, making it clear that they’re serious about creating a trustworthy election process. Lara Trump highlighted the RNC’s renewed commitment, stressing the importance of reestablishing faith in American elections for 2024 and beyond.
In another recent decision, Republicans scored a significant legal win that could reshape future elections, though not this year’s. The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals—stacked with Trump and Republican appointees—ruled it illegal for states to accept mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day but received afterward. This particular ruling on Mississippi’s five-day extension has Republicans optimistic that they’re turning the tide on election regulations.
