As President Joe Biden and Donald Trump step up their campaigning in swing states, a quieter battle is taking place in the shadows of their White House rematch.

RNC's Legal Maneuvering

The Republican National Committee, newly reconstituted under Trump, has filed election-related lawsuits in nearly half the states. Recent lawsuits over voter roll maintenance in Michigan and Nevada are part of a larger strategy targeting various aspects of voting and election administration.

Importance of Lawsuits

Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to the RNC and the Trump campaign, said the lawsuits were one of the organization's main priorities this year. They are useful for campaign messaging, fundraising, and raising doubts about the validity of the election.

Democratic Response

Democrats and legal experts are warning about how the lawsuits might overwhelm election officials and undermine voter confidence in the results of the balloting. The Democratic National Committee has a legal strategy of its own, building "a robust voter protection operation, investing tens of millions of dollars,” to counter the GOP’s efforts.

Expert Analysis

Miriam Seifter, attorney with the State Democracy Research Initiative at the University of Wisconsin Law School, noted that litigation seems to now be a fixture of each party's political and electoral strategies. Voter ID rules, mail ballots, and voter roll maintenance are among the RNC's litigation targets.

Concerns and Criticisms

Critics of the RNC's lawsuits have said they rely on unsubstantiated, flawed data and run the risk of purging legitimate voters. Various other groups have filed similar litigation recently, including a lawsuit against the Maryland State Board of Elections.

Future Outlook

Marly Hornik, CEO of United Sovereign Americans, one of the groups behind the Maryland lawsuit, said more lawsuits are intended in other states this year. The GOP and affiliated groups are involved in dozens of other cases with more on the way, RNC officials have said.

Rick Hasen, an election law expert and professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said most of the lawsuits are unlikely to win in court but "serve as a basis for fundraising and are trying to keep this issue front and center as a campaign issue.”

Conclusion

The lawsuits could pave the way for false narratives challenging the validity of the 2024 election while consuming time and staff at election offices across the country. Post-election lawsuits also could delay or obstruct certification of the results.