RNC rails against California's late mail-in ballot counting amid national litigation: 'It is absurd'

The Republican National Committee (RNC) said it has filed nationalist lawsuits to halt respective states from counting mail-in-ballots aft Election Day, as California has taken astir a period to certify immoderate races.

"It is absurd for California to judge ballots by message up to 7 days aft Election Day and instrumentality astir a period to number them," RNC Chairman Michael Whatley wrote connected X. 

Whatley said the RNC, alongside the California Republican Party, "will proceed to combat aggressively to unit each states to halt accepting ballots aft Election Day." 

Republicans connected the crushed successful California are moving with attorneys and observers "throughout the process of voting, curing, and counting," helium added. The RNC has besides partnered with the National Republican Congressional Committee and Elon Musk's PAC to motorboat a caller statewide ballot curing operation. 

"The RNC, NRCC, and CAGOP's predetermination integrity cognition was connected the crushed successful California earlier Election Day, connected Election Day, and has continued moving ever since November 5th. Our attorneys and trained volunteers are successful spot to guarantee transparency passim the predetermination process," Gates McGavick, elder advisor to Whatley told Fox News Digital successful a statement. 

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A elector casts a ballot during the Super Tuesday superior astatine a polling presumption successful an American Legion Post successful Hawthorne, California, March 5, 2024. (PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)

California's vote-counting process has been prolonged owed to the precocious measurement of mail-in-ballots, with a bulk of Californians opting to ballot by mail. In the state's 2022 election, astir 90% of votes were formed via mail-in ballots.

State instrumentality besides permits mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to beryllium counted if they get up to a week later. Mail-in ballots are typically enactment done a verification process that tin besides lengthen the magnitude of clip they are tallied. The predetermination certification deadline is Dec. 16. 

As of Wednesday, respective races stay undecided successful the Golden State, including battleground districts similar Congressional territory 13 between Republican Rep. John Duarte and Democrat challenger Adam Gray. 

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The California Capitol July 17, 2022, successful Sacramento, Calif.  (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

"Every ballot successful each authorities matters, and the RNC volition enactment with our authorities parties and candidates to guarantee Election Integrity crossed the country," Whatley said. "It is wide that we request existent predetermination reforms to Protect the Vote successful California."

Liberal Gov. Gavin Newsom signed respective laws during his word to grow mail-in voting. In 2021, Newsom signed AB 37, making California 1 of the archetypal states to necessitate that each progressive registered voters automatically person absentee ballots, codifying a COVID-19 epoch exigency measurement temporarily passed successful 2020. Two laws signed successful 2023, AB 626 and AB 545, necessitate a curbside voting enactment astatine each polling places and licence voters to driblet disconnected their mail-in ballots astatine polling stations to person them counted immediately. 

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California Gov. Gavin Newsom greets people, Monday, July 8, 2024, adjacent the Common Man Roadside Market and Deli, successful Hooksett, N.H. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

California is 1 of 14 states wherever voters are not required to amusement elector ID astatine polling stations. In March 2024, Huntington Beach – a blimpish hotspot connected the Southern coastal enactment – officials passed a section measurement requiring elector ID to ballot successful elections, which Newsom rapidly bucked done authorities authorities successful September, which prohibited section governments from enforcing laws that necessitate elector ID.

"The close to freely formed your ballot is the instauration of our ideology and Huntington Beach's elector ID argumentation flies successful the look of this principle," authorities Attorney General Bob Bonta said successful a connection astatine the time.

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Republican disapproval of extended-vote counting periods has intensified this predetermination cycle, including successful Pennsylvania and North Carolina. Prior to Sen. Bob Casey's concession past week successful Pennsylvania's Senate spot to his Republican opponent, Dave McCormick, nationalist and authorities Republican parties went to tribunal arguing counties should not number mail-in-ballots wherever the elector either didn't constitute a day connected the instrumentality envelope oregon wrote the incorrect one, the AP reported. 

President-Elect Donald Trump has besides taken announcement of California's elector ID laws, penning connected his Truth Social relationship helium would request impervious of citizenship and elector ID successful elections. Meanwhile, Newsom is gearing up to "Trump-proof" the authorities and has called an exigency peculiar legislative league connected Dec. 2. 

"California is acceptable to fight," Newsom wrote connected X aft the election. "Whether it beryllium our cardinal civilian rights, reproductive freedom, oregon clime enactment -- we garbage to crook backmost the timepiece and let our values and laws to beryllium attacked."