WASHINGTON,
D.C. – The
Republican National Committee (RNC) released the following statement after
filing a lawsuit in New Jersey against the Division of Elections for
failing to produce records on voter roll maintenance and election
integrity.
“The people of New Jersey deserve to have transparency and accountability in
their elections,” said Chairman Michael Whatley. “State officials are
slow walking access to records about voting machines and voter roll
maintenance. The RNC is taking legal action because the people of New Jersey
have a right to know that their elections are being run fairly, securely, and
in full compliance with the law.”
Background:
- The RNC
filed a lawsuit Thursday in New Jersey against the Division of
Elections for failure to comply with its public record
obligations under OPRA (Open Public Records Act).
- OPRA is the New
Jersey’s open records law, which requires state and local government
entities to produce records to the public.
- Earlier this month,
the RNC requested seal log data from voting machines used in
the state’s June primary election and information about voter
roll maintenance from the Division of Elections.
- The RNC is sending a letter to the Department of Justice
requesting an investigation into the New Jersey Secretary of State’s
violation of the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) for failing to
provide records pertaining to the state’s voter list maintenance system.
- The RNC also is sending a letter to the New Jersey Secretary
of State demanding an explanation for the State's failure to comply with
federal law.
- New Jersey has
ignored the RNC’s requests for transparency, blocking the RNC’s ability to
verify voting machines and ensure that voter rolls are being maintained.
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