Arizona Judge Dismisses Republican Lawsuit Over Election Workers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Monday, Feb. 13, an Arizona judge dismissed a lawsuit brought by the Republican National Committee (RNC) and Arizona Republican Party against the Maricopa County recorder and other election officials. The lawsuit alleged that the fourth most populous county in the country, which is home to Phoenix, violated Arizona law by imposing strict regulations on election workers and making it harder for Republicans to participate in election administration. The plaintiffs also argued that Maricopa County violated the equal representation requirements of the Elections Procedures Manual of 2019 by imposing “onerous requirements” on election workers, including “a minimum hours requirement” and a “minimum durational requirement,” that deter “nearIy all citizens who would be willing to participate in the administration of elections.” They also alleged that the defendants maintained “inhospitable working conditions” and failed “to organize a ‘bullpen’ of board appointees to backfill reasonably foreseeable vacancies.” Today, a judge dismissed this lawsuit after finding that the Republican plaintiffs failed “to state a claim on which relief may be granted.”
In the order dismissing the lawsuit, the judge refuted the Republican plaintiffs’ argument that state law requires Maricopa County to “modify work conditions for Republican workers” and held that “[n]o law requires the hiring of ‘extra’ Republican workers to replace those who do not show up for work.” The judge also wrote that the “law requires party parity between Republicans and Democrats on the boards. It does not require absolute party equality,” thus putting an end to Republicans’ efforts to weaponize and politicize election administration in Maricopa County, Arizona.