RNC, Arizona GOP sue Maricopa County Republicans over election laws

The Republican Party of Arizona and the Republican National Committee (RNC) this week sued Maricopa County officials, alleging that the county has violated election law over poll worker staffing during the 2022 primaries.

The lawsuit claims there were more Democrats (857) than Republicans (712) working as poll workers in Maricopa County voting centers during the early August primary and that there were no Republican poll workers staffed in at least 11 voting centers in the county.

The two also allege in the lawsuit that unequal numbers of Republicans and Democrats comprised “central counting boards” in the county, which are in charge of tabulating and receiving ballots. 

“Upon information and belief, Defendants are not on track to equally staff voting centers and Central Count Boards with Republican and Democratic workers for the 2022 general election either,” the lawsuit claims. 

The lawsuit claims that the Maricopa County officials also failed to provide records to the Republican groups requesting proof of how the county tried to find Republican poll workers in the 11 voting centers were none from the party were staffed or figures on how many Democrats and Republicans were staffing central counting boards.

Maricopa County officials slammed the lawsuit in a statement on Wednesday, labeling it a “political stunt.”

“The idea that a Republican Recorder and four Republican board members would try to keep Republicans out of elections is absurd,” Maricopa County Chairman Bill Gates and County Recorder Stephen Richer said.

“We contact everyone on the lists the parties provide us. Maricopa County’s temporary election worker hiring practices ensure bipartisan representation throughout the election process and follow requirements established in state law and the Election Procedures Manual,” they continued. “Notably, the RNC’s lawsuit doesn’t allege any violation of election laws or procedures; it’s a sound and fury of a public records request that was made a mere three business days ago.”

Maricopa County has been at the heart of previous elections disputes — former President Trump baselessly claimed he won the state in 2020, and the populous Maricopa County was critical in determining the outcome of the election. But even the third-party firm of Cyber Ninjas demonstrated that President Biden had won the county.

Still, Arizona’s primaries have attracted a slew of candidates who have denied or pushed dubious claims about the 2020 election, including Republican gubernatorial nominee Kari Lake and Republican Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem.