With the presidential race between former President Donald Trump and Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris, underway, a flood of lawsuits has emerged from both parties, even before election day.
Democrats allege that Republicans are laying the groundwork for Trump to contest the results if he loses, claiming victory regardless. Democratic lawyer Marc Elias noted that Trump’s legal maneuvers aim to create a “framework of grievances” that could allow him to portray himself as a “victim” if he loses.
Meanwhile, Republicans claim they are acting to preserve “election integrity,” with Trump asserting that Harris can only win if Democrats commit “fraud.” The Republican National Committee (RNC), co-chaired by Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara, has filed over 130 lawsuits in key swing states, targeting ballot counting procedures, voting machines, voter registrations, and other election processes. A primary focus has been on preventing non-U.S. citizens from voting.
Democrats have countered with their own lawsuits, aiming to protect mail-in ballots, overseas ballots, and to expand voting access. David Becker, head of the Center for Election Innovation and Research, argued that many pre-election Republican lawsuits, largely dismissed, are intended to “set the stage for claims of a rigged election.”
In Georgia, where Biden narrowly defeated Trump in 2020, attempts to change election rules have been blocked by courts. Notably, proposed measures included hand-counting ballots and granting board members authority to refuse result certification.
Legal expert Derek Muller pointed out that while the number of votes affected by each case may be small, if the race is tight, as in Florida in 2000, every vote matters. The Supreme Court, dominated by conservatives, might once again play a decisive role, as it did in Bush v. Gore. Recently, it allowed Virginia to remove 1,600 individuals from voter rolls, allegedly non-citizens, under Republican leadership.
Also read: US Elections: winning with fewer votes – the country’s peculiar electoral system
