Trump, RNC file lawsuit in Nevada to prevent late ballots, protect election integrity

On Friday, The Republican National Committee as well as GOP assumed presidential candidate Donald Trump filed a lawsuit with the US District Court to prevent Nevada from counting state ballots that are received after election day. 

In a statement, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley said, "Nevada’s ballot receipt deadline clearly violates federal law and undermines election integrity in the state." 

"Ballots received days after Election Day should not be counted," he added. "The RNC and our partners are suing to secure an honest election, support Nevada voters, and oppose unlawful schemes.” 

According to 2 News, election officials in Nevada will accept ballots up to three days after Election Day.  

"This undermines the integrity of our elections and unlawfully extends the election past the federal Election Day mandated by Congress. A victory in Nevada will have major ramifications for future elections in Nevada and across the country," the RNC said.  

The RNC also alleges in the suit that Nevada will still count the ballot even if the postmark is unreadable, so it is not clear if it was in the mail on election day. The suit said, ballots "that lack a postmark and are received on or before 5 p.m. on November 8, 2024" and "by holding voting open beyond the federal Election Day, Nevada violates federal law and harms plaintiffs." 

"Late-arriving ballots are not valid, so counting them dilutes the weight of timely, valid ballots," the suit notes. "Dilution of honest votes, to any degree, by the casting of fraudulent or illegitimate votes violates the right the vote." 

In response, Nevada Secretary of State Francisco Aguilar said, "Nevada runs some of the most secure, transparent, and accessible elections in the country." He added, "The key for that accessibility is allowing working Nevadans to vote using the method that works best for them, including voting by mail. Our office will not comment on ongoing litigation, but I hope the RNC is putting as much time and energy into educating voters on how to participate in elections as they put into suing the state of Nevada." 

In a statement, NVDems executive director Hilary Barrett claimed, "Donald Trump and Republicans’ baseless lawsuit is yet another tactic to undermine democracy and disenfranchise thousands of Nevada voters by limiting when ballots can be accepted, even when postmarked by Election Day.”