The Republican National Committee filed a lawsuit Friday against the state of Maryland, alleging that state election officials have failed to properly maintain voter registration rolls in violation of federal law. According to the complaint, the RNC argues that Maryland’s voter rolls contain implausibly high registration rates that suggest systemic problems with list maintenance. The lawsuit comes amid ongoing national debate over election integrity and voter roll accuracy.
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The RNC alleges that voter registration percentages in several Maryland counties are “impossibly high.” Two of the state’s largest counties reportedly list more registered voters than eligible adult citizens, while ten additional counties have registration rates exceeding 95 percent. These figures, the lawsuit claims, far exceed the statewide registration rate of approximately 75.6 percent based on 2022 U.S. Census Bureau data, raising questions about whether ineligible voters remain on the rolls.
Plaintiffs in the case include the RNC, the Maryland Republican Party, and individual voters such as Kathleen S. Toothman, a registered voter and party member. The defendants are members of the Maryland State Board of Elections, State Administrator of Elections Jared DeMarinis, and officials from the Howard County and Montgomery County Boards of Elections. The suit accuses these entities of failing to make reasonable efforts to remove ineligible voters, including deceased individuals, people who have moved out of state, and duplicate registrations.
The complaint points to a 2023 audit conducted by the Office of Legislative Audits of the Maryland General Assembly, which identified 2,426 potentially deceased individuals with active voter registrations and 327 possible duplicate records. The RNC argues that these findings, combined with unusually high registration rates in certain counties, undermine voter confidence and potentially dilute the votes of eligible citizens by allowing outdated or invalid registrations to persist.
The plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration that Maryland’s voter roll practices violate federal law, along with an injunction requiring a comprehensive audit and timely removal of ineligible registrations. They are also requesting public disclosure of voter list maintenance data and reimbursement of legal fees. RNC Chairman Joe Gruters said the lawsuit is intended to restore confidence in Maryland elections, noting that the state has faced multiple prior legal challenges over similar issues in recent years and remains under scrutiny as voter roll maintenance becomes a growing national focus.[/read]