RNC May Help Defend Wisconsin’s Election Rules During Pandemic

The Republican National Committee has intervened in three lawsuits challenging Wisconsin’s election rules for the 2020 election cycle, according to a recent order from the Western District of Wisconsin.

Judge William M. Conley took the opportunity presented in his Tuesday order to schedule a joint status conference next week for all three cases at the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin that challenge “various aspects of Wisconsin’s election administration in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.

Wisconsin is considered a major battleground state in the November 2020 general election. The state has 10 electoral votes, and President Donald Trump won the state by a 0.77% margin in 2016.

The Republican Party of Wisconsin was allowed to intervene in the cases alongside the RNC. They want to help the Wisconsin Legislature and state election officials defend the rules around “voter registration, absentee ballots, in-person voting, and voter identification” in order preserve the integrity of the election process, the groups said in their June 8 motion.

Parties with “aligned interests” were strongly encouraged to discuss their positions and arguments in advance, and to designate a lead spokesperson for each issue or argument, the court said.

The attorneys were also encouraged to discuss how to best efficiently resolve any disputes “well in advance of upcoming elections,” the court said.

Consovoy McCarthy PLLC represents the RNC and Republican Party of Wisconsin.

Troutman Sanders LLP represents the Wisconsin State Senate, the State Assembly. Lawton & Cates SC represent the Wisconsin Elections Commission.

The case is Edwards v. Vos, W.D. Wis., NO. 20-cv-00340, 6/23/20.