Republican National Committee joins R.I. fight over mail ballots

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: USA Today

PROVIDENCE — The Republican National Committee has jumped into Rhode Island’s legal fight over witness requirements for the signing of mail ballots during the pandemic.

Late Sunday night, lawyers Brandon Bell and Joseph Larisa joined lawyers from Arlington, Virginia, in filing a request with the U.S. District Court that both the state and national GOP be given status as defendants in a lawsuit filed last week so they can fight its proposed easing of requirements for mail ballot voting, as the party did in Alabama.

Without deciding definitively on the Republicans’ bid to intervene, U.S. District Court Judge Mary McElroy told their lawyer, Thomas McCarthy, she would listen to the party’s arguments at a “fairness hearing” on Tuesday on a proposed consent agreement in the case.

Under the proposed settlement that came to light late Monday, state election officials would agree “not to enforce the two-witness requirement for the September 8, 2020 primary and November 3, 2020 general elections.”

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/republican-national-committee-joins-r-i-fight-over-mail-ballots/ar-BB17hy31?li=BB141NW3&ocid=DELLDHP

[SWBTATTReg]

1. A national party asking to be involved in what a state determines what is best for its citizens?

I would think that none have any standing (maybe, just maybe the state gop does). I guess the gop still wants people to die in voting still.

[LiberalFighter]

2. Two witnesses? Yikes so unfair and unnecessary.

Congress needs to pass a law so all federal elections are held using the same requirements. And those requirements should not be a hardship.

The states can have different requirements for their state and local elections. But I see states more or less using the same requirements for federal elections.

[RainCaster]

3. Is that a requirement for in person voting?

I smell a GOP voter suppression here.

[yellowdogintexas]

4. I think it is vote by mail Back in the day, I had to have a notary on my absentee

ballot when I was away from home at college.

[RhodeIslandOne]

5. It was the standard in absentee balloting in RI for awhile

[BlueIdaho]

6. Mail in voting has always benefited GOP over Democrats.

So this seems pretty fucking stupid.

[Amaryllis]

7. We have a lot of elaborate signature verification practices in Oregon but no witness

requirement. Very stiff fines and jail if anyone is caught involved in fraud or trying to influence someone's vote or vote in their place.

[rkleinberger]

8. Dems need to intervene then as well.

This is what will determine the winner. All eyes open. Today, Barr showed his hands when he stated that with increased mail in voting there might be more fraud with no actual data. The Dems failed to hit back.

[Totally Tunsie]

9. Judge ruled within the last hour and Order will be signed tomorrow

stating that witness/notary signatures will not be required for mail-in ballots for the next election(s), as long as COVID is in play.

Good going, RI!