RNC lawsuit alleges Milwaukee Election Commission limiting poll watchers

The Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit the day before the presidential election that claims the Milwaukee Election Commission has “arbitrarily limited” the number of observers at multiple early voting sites.

The suit alleges commission guidance issued to chief election inspectors, who oversee polling places, states that poll watchers can be limited to just one person from each party in small voting rooms. It claims there were limits on the number of observers at Milwaukee’s Serb Hall, Good Hope Library and Capitol Drive early voting sites.

While the suit acknowledges GOP poll watchers were allowed at early voting sites, it claims “that is not sufficient” under the law.

The RNC claims “there was no legal basis” for the inspectors of any Milwaukee polling sites to limit the number of observers and is asking a judge for a restraining order and injunction blocking the commission’s guidance.

“If the Commission is allowed to continue to prohibit Plaintiff and the public from observing all public aspects of the voting process and in a manner contrary to law, it will only cast doubt on the administration of our elections and cause a lack of voter confidence in our electoral process,” the lawsuit states.

In a statement, the Milwaukee Election Commission said it “favors the greatest possible transparency during elections” and refuted the RNC’s claims.

“Despite the MEC maintaining open communications with the RNC, including meeting as recently as last night, it seems that filing a lawsuit was their goal all along,” the commission said.

The commission denied the lawsuit’s claim that poll watchers were arbitrarily limited but said “observers may be subject to reasonable limitations” under Wisconsin law.

The RNC lawsuit is the latest of several election-related challenges filed within weeks of Nov. 5. Other suits have alleged inaccuracies in Wisconsin’s voter registration list and sought last-minute changes to how the state verifies voters’ citizenship before voting.