RNC Sues for Poll Workers’ Information in Clark County, Nevada
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Republican National Committee (RNC) filed a lawsuit in Nevada challenging Clark County election officials’ refusal to disclose information regarding the names and partisan affiliations of its poll workers. In its complaint, the RNC argues that it has the right to access information regarding “the partisan breakdown and political affiliation” of Clark County’s poll workers under the Nevada Public Records Act. The RNC asserts that it needs this information to ensure that Clark County is complying with Nevada election law, under which poll workers “must not all be of the same political party.” The Republican plaintiff requests that the court order the defendants to “immediately produce public records containing verifiable information about poll workers’ party identification/affiliation.”
The timing of this request is notable as Republicans continue to spread the “Big Lie” and put election workers at risk. The RNC contends that disclosing poll workers’ names and affiliations “does not implicate anything more than nontrivial privacy interests and does not create any realistic risk of harassment or other stigmatization. After all, the names (and sometimes salaries) of government workers are public information and often listed online. And, the poll workers and their names will be visible to the public throughout the voting process at polling locations.” However, this assertion from the RNC should not be taken at face value considering the increased vulnerability of election workers as threats become more prominent.