(The Daily Signal)—The Republican National Committee this week filed election-related lawsuits in Michigan and North Carolina, coming off a Supreme Court victory last week over election procedures in Arizona.
An RNC initiative called Protect the Vote has filed more than 100 lawsuits across 25 states and recruited more than 150,000 lawyers and volunteer poll watchers across the country.
“We are defending the law and fighting for commonsense security measures that benefit all Americans—like stopping illegal immigrants from voting, mail ballot safeguards, voter ID measures, stopping leftist dark money, and cleaning the voter rolls,” Gineen Bresso, director of election integrity for the Republican National Committee, told The Daily Signal in a written statement. “We are winning in court and have recruited over 150,000 volunteers for the election. We are protecting the vote for all Americans.”
The Democratic National Committee didn’t respond to inquiries for this story.
Previously, however, the DNC issued statements criticizing Republicans’ litigation and asserting that RNC leadership was chosen by former President Donald Trump to “push lies” about the 2020 election. That leadership would be “anti-democracy” and promote conspiracy theories, the DNC said.
In August, the Democratic National Committee filed lawsuits opposing Republican-backed election procedures in Arizona and Georgia.
The Republican National Committee has pending litigation in Georgia, Nevada, and other states where the Nov. 5 presidential election looks close. Here, however, are five states where the GOP has gained major victories.
1. Arizona and Noncitizen Voting
The Republican National Committee won a partial victory Aug. 22 when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 to allow Arizona to enforce its law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship during voter registration.
Under the ruling, election officials may reject voter registration forms without proof of citizenship. The high court stayed a federal district court ruling while it awaits a hearing before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The lower court struck down provisions of Arizona’s law that require an election official to reject a voter registration that doesn’t include proof of U.S. citizenship. Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, both Democrats, opted not to defend the state law.
So the RNC filed an emergency application to the Supreme Court to allow the state to fully enforce the law, which its ruling did.
“This is a major victory for election integrity that upholds a simple principle: American elections must be decided by American citizens,” RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said in a public statement on the high court’s decision.
Fontes, Arizona’s secretary of state, opposed the court ruling.
“My concern is that changes to the process should not occur this close to an election, it creates confusion for voters,” Fontes said in a public statement. “We respect the court’s decision and will implement these changes while continuing to protect voter access and make voting a simple process.”
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Earlier this year, Arizona’s election system garnered increased scrutiny when billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk posted on his social media platform X, formerly Twitter: “Arizona clearly states that no proof of citizenship is required for federal elections.”
That’s technically correct, but no other state requires proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections, either. Arizona, however, requires such proof before someone may vote in state and local elections.
That’s because in 2013, the Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council of Ariz. Inc. that the 1993 National Voter Registration Act, known as the motor voter law, determined that every state must accept the same standardized voter registration forms for federal elections.
However, the ruling, written by then-Justice Antonin Scalia, said Arizona’s law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote could apply to state and local elections but not federal ones.
As a result, Arizona uses two different ballots for state and federal elections. A state resident with documented proof of citizenship may vote using both ballots. A voter without proof of citizenship may still vote for president and Congress.
2. Stopping Presumptions in Michigan
The Republican National Committee joined the Michigan Republican Party and Wayne County Republican Committee this week to sue the city of Detroit for not hiring a sufficient number of Republican election inspectors.
Michigan law requires hiring an equal number of Democrats and Republicans for election roles. But the GOP plaintiffs allege that Detroit has hired seven times as many Democrats as election inspectors.
The RNC gained a victory in Michigan after suing Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, a Democrat, regarding her instructions to local election clerks to presume—rather than verify—the validity of an absentee voter’s signature.
“In Michigan, we stopped the secretary of state’s illegal instructions to ignore mail ballot safeguards,” the RNC’s Bresso said.
The RNC teamed with the state Republican Party to argue that the instruction violated the Michigan Constitution, which requires verification of signatures. They won a partial victory in June when state Judge Christopher Yates ruled that Benson’s decision is a presumption that is “a foul under Michigan law.”
After the ruling, a spokesperson for Benson’s office noted that the judge agreed the secretary of state has authority to implement other ballot rules for the state’s more than 1,500 independent election clerks.
“Michigan’s clerks have and will continue to carefully review every ballot signature to ensure they agree sufficiently with the signature on file before accepting any ballot,” Benson spokesperson Angela Benander said, according to The Detroit News.
Going back to 2020, the RNC and the state party teamed to intervene in a lawsuit brought by a Democratic super PAC, Priorities USA, to strike down Michigan’s state ban on the process known as ballot harvesting.
In September 2022, a federal court upheld the ban, which allowed for the tracking of absentee ballots.
Ballot harvesting is when political operatives distribute or collect large quantities of absentee ballots, prompting concerns of voter intimidation or improper influence.
3. Poll Watchers in North Carolina
The Republican National Committee also filed two lawsuits against the North Carolina State Board of Elections in a span of four days in late August.
One lawsuit alleges the state election board failed to require identification to prove U.S. citizenship, a violation of the 2002 Help America Vote Act. The state and national GOP contend this lapse opens up the opportunity for as many as 225,000 noncitizens to vote.
The previous week, the RNC sued the Tar Heel State alleging that it failed to check jury questionnaire responses to identify and remove noncitizens from voter registration lists.
These cases go on after an earlier Republican National Committee victory in North Carolina.
In a 2022 case, the RNC argued that the State Board of Elections was trying to weaken the rights of poll watchers. It scored a victory that August when the state’s Rules Review Commission rejected restrictions on the election board’s new poll watchers.
The State Election Board’s rules would have prevented poll watchers from standing too close to voting machines or poll books, and also give election officials the authority to remove poll watchers.
The following October, Wake County Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier sided with the RNC and blocked the rule preventing “at-large,” party-appointed poll watchers from going to different polling locations throughout Election Day.
The county court, however, also sided with the state board and moved back the date by which ballots must be accepted to Nov. 14, six days after the Nov. 8 election in 2022. The normal deadline of Nov. 11 fell on Veterans Day that year.
Patrick Gannon, the spokesperson for the State Election Board, told the Carolina Journal: “We are grateful that the judge denied the plaintiffs’ request to shorten the absentee ballot deadline. … The county boards of elections will, of course, abide by the judge’s ruling tweaking the replacement procedure for party observers. That is a polling place management issue that our bipartisan poll workers can be trusted to handle.”
4. Parity in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, the Republican National Committee won a case to enforce the state’s law requiring an equal number of Republican and Democrat poll workers.
“We successfully fought for poll worker parity and poll watcher protections,” the RNC’s Bresso told The Daily Signal.
The RNC also notes that it sued after finding the city of Appleton, Wisconsin, didn’t have GOP poll workers to assist in nursing homes. The city agreed to hire Republicans as well as Democrats.
The RNC also sued to achieve an equal number of election workers from each major party in the Wisconsin cities of Green Bay and Milwaukee.
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State law requires the two major parties to have relatively equal numbers of election workers.
In September 2022, a state court ruled in favor of the RNC’s challenge of guidance by the Wisconsin Elections Commission. The guidance had instructed local election officials to fill in missing information on absentee ballot forms and to witness affidavits.
Judge Michael Aprahamian ruled that the elections commission “cannot continue to promulgate advice it knows—or should know—violates state law and the intent of the Legislature.”
Others objected, such as Claire Woodall-Vogg, executive director of the Milwaukee Election Commission, who told The Associated Press: “Historically, voters have not been penalized for minor errors in voting where intent is clear.”
5. Verifying Mail-In Ballots in Pennsylvania
In May, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on a mail-in ballot verification case in Pennsylvania that had worked its way through state and federal courts.
In the 2022 midterm elections, several county election boards in Pennsylvania announced plans not to enforce a law requiring voters to put a date on their mail-in ballots in order for the ballots to be counted.
The Republican National Committee teamed with the Pennsylvania Republican Party to sue and force those county boards to enforce the law. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court sided with Republicans, prohibiting the counting of undated or misdated ballots.
In response, several liberal groups sued in federal court to challenge the state law requiring mail-in ballots to be dated before being counted.
Among them were Pennsylvania branches of national left-leaning organizations such as the NAACP, the League of Women Voters, and Common Cause. They were joined by state-based or local groups such as Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild; the Black Political Empowerment Project; and Make the Road Pennsylvania.
Last November, a federal district court struck down Pennsylvania’s requirement of dated mail-in ballots.
But in May, the 2-1 ruling by a 3rd Circuit panel upheld the law.
Ari Savitzky, the senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project who argued the case, told reporters after the ruling that “voters may be disenfranchised for a minor paperwork error like forgetting to write an irrelevant date on the return envelope of their mail ballot.”
“We are considering all of our options at this time,” Savitzky said. “And we will not stop fighting for voters.”
Whatley, the RNC’s chairman, said: “Pennsylvanians deserve to feel confident in the security of their mail ballots, and this 3rd Circuit ruling roundly rejects unlawful left-wing attempts to count undated or incorrectly dated mail ballots.”
Ken McIntyre contributed to this report.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
