The Republican National Committee on Monday sued the city of Milwaukee, alleging that its election commission unfairly limited poll watchers at three early voting locations in Wisconsin.
The RNC lawsuit claims the commission intends to limit poll watchers on Election Day, but the commission denied that anyone was “arbitrarily” limited from observing polls.
“The Milwaukee Election Commission refutes the claims made by the RNC. Despite the [commission] maintaining open communications with the RNC, including meeting as recently as last night, it seems that filing a lawsuit was their goal all along,” Milwaukee Election Commission Executive Director Paulina Gutierrez said Monday in a statement.
Observers “may be subject to reasonable limitations,” Gutierrez said, but “at no point was the Republican Party denied the presence of observing during the in-person absentee voting period, nor will they be denied that presence on Election Day.”
Poll workers are different from watchers — workers administer elections, while watchers merely observe and can raise challenges — but an abundance of unruly watchers swarming already inundated workers is a recipe for delay and disruption. In Wisconsin, observers must follow rules set by the commission.
In-person absentee ballot voting began in the state on Oct. 22 and ended on Nov. 3.
The RNC alleges that watchers of in-person absentee and early voting were restricted at three early voting sites — American Serb Hall, Good Hope Branch Library and the Capitol Drive Voting Center — in Wisconsin.
At some of these centers, the RNC claims that the commission allowed there to be only one watcher per political party despite there being space for “far more observers.” Such a limitation instills distrust and causes a “lack of voter confidence in our electoral process,” according to the RNC lawsuit.
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Wisconsin’s chief inspector decides the conditions for observers and makes that decision based on a number of factors, including space available.
The RNC lawsuit emphasizes that the inspector and commission are obligated to create numerous “areas” for observers at polling centers, not just one area.
During the 2020 election, Wisconsin was one of several states that became a hotbed for Donald Trump’s fake electors scheme and the “Stop the Steal” movement. This year, Wisconsin Watch and ProPublica joined forces to assess the situation for 2024 and found that right-wing strategists have led a significant push to recruit thousands of poll workers who align closely with Trump.