A lawsuit filed by the Republican National Committee and the Maryland GOP accuses state election officials of reporting “impossibly high” voter registration numbers. The complaint, lodged on October 27, 2023, follows a similar action initiated earlier in the week by the Department of Justice.
The lawsuit specifically claims that Howard County and Montgomery County have reported more registered voters than the total number of citizens over the age of 18 residing in those areas. Furthermore, it highlights that ten other counties in Maryland have voter registration rates exceeding 95%, which surpasses the statewide registration average.
The complaint names Jared DeMarinis, the State Administrator of Elections, along with four members of the Board of Elections and election officials in the two counties. Requests for comments from Maryland election officials have not been answered.
Prior to the lawsuit, the RNC and their legal representatives sent a letter to DeMarinis in July, requesting the state’s voter registration list and alleging violations of federal law. The case is filed under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, which mandates that states make a “reasonable effort to remove the names of ineligible voters” from official lists.
The RNC and Maryland GOP argue that the alleged inaccuracies in voter registration numbers disrupt their “campaign-related activities” and “get-out-the-vote efforts,” ultimately impeding their capacity to elect Republican candidates. The lawsuit also references a 2023 audit that indicated the State Board of Elections’ review of voter registration data was “inadequate.” As per the audit, Maryland reportedly included deceased and ineligible voters on its rolls.
This lawsuit comes shortly after the Department of Justice filed similar cases against DeMarinis and five other states for failing to provide requested voter registration rolls.
“Accurate voter rolls are the cornerstone of fair and free elections, and too many states have fallen into a pattern of noncompliance with basic voter roll maintenance,” stated Attorney General Pamela Bondi in a press release. “The Department of Justice will continue filing proactive election integrity litigation until states comply with basic election safeguards.”
As the case unfolds, many will be watching its implications on the electoral process in Maryland and potentially beyond.
