RNC disputes California late vote count amid state trial: 'It makes no sense'
The Republican National Committee (RNC) said it has filed statewide lawsuits to stop several states from counting votes after Election Day, as California took nearly a month to certify some races.
“It makes no sense for California to accept mail-in ballots until 7 days after Election Day and take almost a month to count them,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley wrote in X.
Whatley said the RNC, along with the California Republican Party, “will continue to fight hard to force every state to stop accepting ballots after Election Day.”
California Republicans are working with attorneys and observers “throughout the entire process of voting, curating, and counting,” he added. The RNC also partnered with the National Republican Congressional Committee and Elon Musk's PAC to launch a new nationwide voter turnout operation.
“The RNC, NRCC, and CAGOP's election integrity operations were in place in California before Election Day, on Election Day, and have continued to operate since November 5th.” Gates McGavick, senior adviser to Whatley told Fox News Digital in the statement.
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California's vote counting process has been extended due to the large volume of ballots cast, with the majority of Californians choosing to vote by mail. In the 2022 state election, nearly 90% of votes are cast by mail.
State law also allows mail-in ballots postmarked on Election Day to be counted if they arrive up to a week later. Mail-in ballots are often subject to a verification process that can extend the time it takes for them to be counted. The deadline for obtaining an election certificate is December 16.
As of Wednesday, several races remain undecided in the Golden State, including battleground states like the 13th Congressional district between Republican Rep. John Duarte and Democrat challenger Adam Gray.
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“Every vote is in every state, and the RNC will work with our state parties and candidates to ensure Election Integrity across the country,” Whatley said. “It's clear that we need real electoral reform to protect the vote in California.”
Liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several laws during his tenure to expand mail-in voting. In 2021, Newsom signed AB 37, making California one of the first states to require all registered voters to obtain absentee ballots, including a temporary COVID-19 emergency measure passed in 2020. Two laws were signed in 2023, AB 626 and AB. 545, requires a remote voting option at all polling places and allows voters to leave their mail ballots at polling stations for a quick count.
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California is one of 14 states where voters are not required to show voter ID at polling stations. In March 2024, Huntington Beach – a heavily populated area on the South Coast – officials passed a local measure requiring voter ID to vote in elections, Newsom quickly withdrew a state law in September, prohibiting local governments from implementing laws requiring voter ID. .
“The right to vote freely is a cornerstone of our democracy and Huntington Beach's ID policy is consistent with this goal,” Attorney General Bob Bonta said in a statement at the time.
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Republican criticism of extended vote counting times has intensified this election cycle, including in Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Before the approval of Sen. Bob Casey last week in the Senate seat of Pennsylvania against his Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, the national and state Republican parties went to court arguing that the districts should not count the votes when the voter did not write the date. return envelope or write the wrong thing, AP reports.
President-elect Donald Trump also took note of California's ID laws, writing on his Truth Social account that he will require proof of citizenship and voter ID at the polls. Meanwhile, Newsom is preparing for “Trump's testimony” and has called an emergency legislative session for December 2.
“California is ready to fight,” Newsom wrote in X after the election. “Whether it's our basic civil rights, reproductive freedom, or climate action – we refuse to turn back the clock and allow our values and laws to be attacked.”
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