The city of Racine, Wisconsin, failed to meet the state’s parity requirement for election inspectors, the Republican National Committee alleged in a lawsuit, claiming the city hired a disproportionate number of Democrats in the primary election last month.
Attorneys for the RNC say the Racine city clerk allowed unaffiliated poll workers to be election inspectors rather than selecting individuals nominated by the GOP. Only nine of the 56 Republican election inspectors approved to work the Aug. 13 primary were hired by the city. And even though there were fewer Democrats approved, the city hired more Democrats than Republicans, according to a statement from the RNC. The lawsuit is seeking to ensure parity requirements are met for the general election.
“Racine deliberately excluded Republicans and violated the law,” said RNC Chairman Michael Whatley. “We are suing to hire the number of Republicans that Wisconsin law requires, stop Democrat interference, and uphold election integrity for our country’s most important election."
Racine City Clerk Tara McMenamin pushed back, calling the lawsuit "meritless."
“The City of Racine is committed to hiring election officials who meet all statutory requirements, irrespective of political affiliation," McMenamin said, reports CBS 58. "In anticipation of potential increases in meritless litigation leading up to the presidential election, we are steadfast in maintaining consistent standards. We will continue to adhere to all state and federal laws and provide comprehensive training to ensure that all election officials are fully qualified and well prepared to serve city residents on this upcoming Election Day.”
