Republicans vs. Dominion Voting Systems

 

Friday, Sept. 6

A Republican-led attempt to investigate Dominion voting machines results in over $1 million in sanctions for Fulton County, Pennsylvania. Pro-voting advocates are suing a Republican member of a Michigan county election board after he indicated he may not certify the 2024 election results. And Texas’s top legal officer takes aim at efforts to register eligible voters.

As Election Day nears, it's important to stay current on voting rights in the courts. Forward our weekly newsletter to a friend, family member or colleague to help everyone stay engaged. If you received this email from someone else, you can subscribe here.

Pennsylvania county hit with $1M in sanctions for Dominion voting machine probe

Republicans’ enduring fixation with Dominion Voting Systems is proving to be expensive. The most recent example of this is a ruling from a Pennsylvania judge, who ordered Fulton County and their attorney to pay over $1 million in sanctions after improperly investigating Dominion Voting Systems machines following the 2020 election. The ruling stems from the majority-Republican county commissioners’ decision in December of 2020 to bring in an IT company to investigate Dominion voting equipment used in the 2020 election. The move sparked a legal battle culminating in a decision from the state Supreme Court that temporarily blocked the inspection. Despite this, Fulton County still allowed a forensic auditing company to inspect the equipment and electronic evidence relevant to the case. Since 2020, Republicans in various states and jurisdictions have dogged Dominion with unsubstantiated election conspiracies — at their own peril. In Arizona, failed GOP candidate Kari Lake tried to sue over the state’s use of Dominion voting machines. Lake and co-plaintiff Mark Finchem were later sanctioned for making false statements to the court. And, last year, Fox News agreed to pay nearly $800 million for its false claims about the 2020 election and Dominion Voting Systems. Read more about the Pennsylvania case.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR

End Citizens United Action Fund is leading the charge to pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These bills would protect everyone’s access and ability to vote, end gerrymandering, limit big money in our politics, shine a light on dark money, and restore key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Help us by supporting our cause.

ACLU sues to ensure Michigan board certifies 2024 results

The aftermath of 2020 sparked another unfortunate trend: County election officials refusing to certify results if they suspect fraud, under the guise of ensuring the election results are accurate. This week, the ACLU of Michigan and two voters sued a Republican member of the four-member Kalamazoo County Board of Canvassers after he reportedly claimed that he won’t certify the 2024 election if it’s “stolen” from former President Donald Trump. According to a Detroit News story cited in the lawsuit, Robert Froman said he “most definitely” believes the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, and that he wouldn’t certify the 2024 results if the race unfolded the same way 2020 did. The ACLU is asking a circuit court to rule that Froman is required to certify election results under the Michigan Constitution. Last month, Nevada’s highest court dismissed a lawsuit against Washoe County commissioners after they finally decided to certify the June primary election results. The suit alleged the county held off certification based on “unsubstantiated” claims that the recounts were untrustworthy. In Georgia, national and Georgia Democrats are suing the State Election Board for passing rules in August that could delay the certification of election results. The roles were pushed by the board’s three Republican members, all of whom have said they view election certification not as a  mandatory duty, but as a discretionary act. In May, Fulton County Board of Elections and Registration member, Julie Adams (R), filed a lawsuit essentially challenging the obligations of her position after she refused to certify primary results. Read more about the Michigan lawsuit, and what happens when officials refuse to certify election results.

Republicans fight against efforts to register eligible voters

Less than two months away from the 2024 election, some Republicans are using the courts to push back against efforts to register eligible voters — again, under the guise of safeguarding elections. In Texas, a legal battle is brewing over officials in Bexar County — one of Texas’s largest counties — approving a plan to hire a third-party vendor to mail out over 200,000 voter registration forms to residents who are eligible to vote but aren’t registered. Paxton sued the Bexar Commissioners Court after they moved forward with the voter registration plan. His office framed it as an eligibility issue, but a spokesperson for the county said the letters are for unregistered — but eligible — voters. The attorney general is under fire for his state election fraud probe, which led to authorities raiding the homes of several Latino campaign volunteers last month. Some Texas Democrats have denounced the raid as a voter suppression tactic. Read more about Paxton’s lawsuit. Similarly, the Republican National Committee (RNC) sent letters to the six secretaries of states — Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin —- urging them to monitor a civic health organization that’s helping to register voters in health care settings. The letters accuse the nonpartisan Vot-ER of “weaponizing the healthcare system” for “partisan political purposes,” and urge each secretary of state “to monitor Vot-ER’s activity in your state to ensure its compliance with state and federal law and to safeguard the integrity of your elections.” Read more on the letters.

From Our Desk: What’s at Stake in 2024 Supreme Court Races

Democracy Docket staff writer Crystal Hill unpacks how this year’s Supreme Court races could have wide implications for issues like abortion rights and gerrymandering. “In Ohio and Michigan, the election could determine whether Republicans or Democrats have court majorities, which could have a lasting impact on issues like voting rights, gerrymandering and other constitutional matters. In North Carolina, Alabama and Texas, which are either mostly or completely Republican, Democrats are running to add more ideological diversity to the courts.” Read more here.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR

End Citizens United Action Fund knows that American democracy is under threat. That’s why we’re committed to helping pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act next Congress to strengthen and protect it.

What We’re Doing

The pet owners at Democracy Docket are staying sane this election season by spending quality time with their cute companions. When staff writer Matt Cohen isn’t documenting right-wing attempts to suppress the vote, he cuddles with his pup, Pepper. For fellow writer Courtney Cohn, tracking ballot initiatives is no match for raising her rambunctious new kitten, Cass. To promote and protect democracy, recruit your furry friend to help spread the message with our merch!

Proud dog owner Marc Elias joins Sarah Longwell, founder of Republican Voters Against Trump, to discuss the Republicans voting for Kamala Harris, fractures in the GOP and how Donald Trump is a threat to democracy and conservative ideals. Watch on YouTube here.