The 2024 election is already being mired in legal disputes as Democrats and Republicans gear up for a potential battle over the results. Following the aftermath of the 2020 election, where Republicans faced criticism for challenging the results after votes were tallied, both parties are preparing for a legal showdown before, during, and after the upcoming election. The Republican National Committee has over 165,000 volunteers ready to monitor polling places, while Democrats are focusing on voter protection with their own team of staffers, lawyers, and volunteers.
Despite the numerous lawsuits being filed, most cases are relatively small in impact and unlikely to affect the majority of voters. However, the stakes would significantly increase if Donald Trump were to lose and try to overturn the results, similar to his attempts in the 2020 election where he and his allies lost more than 60 lawsuits. The potential for success in overturning results through litigation largely depends on the margin of votes separating the candidates, with very close races being more susceptible to court rulings about ballot legitimacy.
Trump’s continued claims of election fraud and his refusal to accept results that do not go in his favor have raised concerns about the integrity of the upcoming election. Despite there being no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election or any subsequent elections, Trump and his supporters are doubling down on efforts to ensure election integrity, with the Republican National Committee appointing key figures to oversee this aspect of the election process. Democrats are also preparing for potential challenges and are ready to counter any interference or attempts to undermine the democratic process.
In Georgia, a high-profile legal battle is currently underway over new rules established by the State Board of Elections, which have been influenced by Trump’s conspiracy theories. These rules could potentially allow local election boards to refuse to certify results, a tactic that has been employed unsuccessfully in the past to challenge election outcomes. Concerns about certification delays or refusals have been growing, but experts suggest that the fears are overstated and that most state laws require boards to certify official results brought to them by election offices.
Key areas of legal contention ahead of the 2024 election include challenges to voter eligibility and the counting of mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. The RNC has filed lawsuits in several states alleging the need to remove inactive or ineligible voters from voter rolls, as well as contesting the validity of late-arriving mail ballots. While some cases have been dismissed, these issues could potentially have ramifications post-election if results are close enough to warrant legal challenges. The outcome of these legal battles could play a significant role in determining the legitimacy of the election results and the overall integrity of the electoral process.
