ARIZONA, USA — The Republican National Committee and Republican Party of Arizona filed two lawsuits Tuesday against Maricopa County, claiming the county favored Democrat poll workers over Republicans ahead of the 2022 mid-term elections.
In September, the RNC sent a letter to Maricopa County accusing officials of violating Arizona law, which requires election officials to hire an “equal number” of poll workers from both parties.
Only 712 Republican poll workers were hired as opposed to the 857 Democrats, according to the suit.
The letter also claimed a “significant disparity between political parties in the central processing boards utilized at the Maricopa County Tabulation and Election Center during the primary.”
The RNC claimed only 10 Republican poll workers were allowed on the “receiving/inspection boards” versus 58 Democrats, which they said violated the state’s procedures manual that requires each central board to be “comprised of two members of different political parties.”
The RNC also claimed Republican poll workers were subjected to a far more rigorous regimen than their Democrat counterparts.
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and RPAZ Chairwoman Dr. Kelli Ward told Breitbart News that Maricopa County left them no choice but to file a lawsuit now that the mid-term elections are 35 days away.
RNC officials claim the county has “refused to cooperate with our request for transparency” and has not turned over “records related to the burdensome requirements imposed on election workers.”
Maricopa County Recorder Stephen Richer responded to the lawsuit Wednesday, saying:
"The idea that a Republican Recorder and four Republican board members would try to keep Republicans out of elections is absurd.
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 Elections Procedures Manual. "
Notably, the RNC's lawsuit doesn't allege any violation of election laws or procedures; it's sound and fury about a public records request that was made a mere three business days ago.
This is a political stunt.”
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.
More ways to get 12News
On your phone: Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
On your streaming device: Download 12News+ to your streaming device
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
